Photograph: Julia Quenzler/SWNS
Closing summary
Paul Doyle, a former royal marine, has been sentenced to 21 years and six months in prison after driving into a crowd at Liverpool FC’s Premier League victory parade in May.
Sentencing judge Andrew Menary KC told the father of three that he acted in an “inexplicable and undiluted fury” when he ploughed into crowds, hitting more than 130 people in only two minutes.
He told Doyle: “To drive a vehicle into crowds of pedestrians with such persistence and disregard for human life defies ordinary understanding.” The judge said his actions were not ones of “momentary recklessness” but that he had simply lost his temper.
Doyle, from Croxteth in Liverpool, told police he acted in a “blind panic” and claimed he feared for his life after seeing a fan with a knife. This was disproved by detectives.
Doyle, who could be heard in dashcam footage swearing and shouting at supporters to “move”, had initially denied 31 offences he was charged with. But last month, moments before the prosecution was due to open his trial, he changed his pleas to admit all the charges.
Doyle pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, affray, 17 charges of attempting to cause grievous bodily harm (GBH) with intent, nine counts of causing GBH with intent and three counts of wounding with intent.
Liverpool crown court earlier heard details of Doyle’s past. The 54-year-old had a string of convictions in the early 1990s – including one for biting off a man’s ear in a pub brawl – but the judge did recognise Doyle had not committed any offences for 32 years (up until the Liverpool attack).
The court heard that those struck by Doyle’s car were aged from six months to 77 years and included a victim of the Manchester Arena terror attack in 2017.
You can read more about what was said during the sentencing hearing today in this report by my colleague Josh Halliday. We are closing the blog now. Thanks for following along.
Updated
Merseyside police said it was a “miracle” that no one was killed when Doyle used his two-tonne Ford Galaxy “as a weapon” in a moment of rage at the Liverpool FC victory parade in the city on 26 May. Here is a video showing him driving through fans:
Updated
This was one of the most extensive investigations in the history of Merseyside Police, senior officer says
John Fitzgerald, a senior Merseyside police officer, said in a statement that it was still difficult to “comprehend the devastating impact” of the events on the 26 May, which showed Doyle had “no regard for the safety and wellbeing of other people”.
“No prison sentence will be able to undo his actions on that day or heal those who continue to suffer physically and psychologically as a result of what they endured and witnessed on the streets of the city,” Fitzgerald said.
“Our thoughts remain with everyone affected and I hope that now the judicial process has finished those people will be able to start moving on and rebuild their lives.”
He said he hopes Doyle reflects on his actions in prison, adding that the case was one of the most extensive investigations in the history of Merseyside police.
“Over the past seven months, we have supported 134 victims, spoken to more than 1,500 witnesses viewed nearly 280 pieces of footage and gathered over 700 statements,” he said.
Updated
Doyle said to have had history of explosive violence
My colleagues Josh Halliday and Hannah Al-Othman reveal in this fascinating report that Paul Doyle, a father of three, described as a mild-mannered “family man”, is said to have had a history of explosive violent outbursts long before the victory parade in May. Here is an extract from their story:
Someone who served with Doyle in the Royal Marines in the early 1990s described how he was known “really, really quickly to be an absolute live wire”.
“It was like he was on a tripwire,” the former marine said. “Everyone would say: ‘He’s got a horrendous flash to bang’ – meaning the point you get annoyed to the point you’re punching people is zero time.”
Doyle, 54, has a series of previous convictions for serious violence and other offences dating back to the early 90s. He was jailed for a year for biting off a sailor’s ear in a pub brawl in July 1993, six months after being discharged from the Royal Marines after a string of previous offences.
He joined the Royal Marines in March 1991, aged 19, after a short period in the Royal Engineers, but quickly got into trouble for violence, dishonesty and criminal damage. By the time he was discharged from the military in January 1993, he had six civilian and service convictions.
Fellow service personnel, who were unaware of these convictions, said the young recruit was known in the close-combat Yankee Company for his short fuse. “He was just out drinking with everyone and he’d just be filling people in,” said one former marine. “He had zero escalation – he was just on the tripwire.”
He said Doyle became an “outcast” in his troop before he left the Marines in 1993: “Normal people would give him a wide berth. They’re 21 years old and they’re trying to pull girls. They don’t want to be around some sort of lunatic Tasmanian devil who’s trying to knock everyone out who bumps into him.”
It is understood that Doyle was discharged by the marines after four years following the convictions, when he was told his “service was no longer required”. The Ministry of Defence declined to comment.
In the 30 years since he was released from prison in May 1995, Doyle had “taken steps to lead a positive and productive life”, the prosecutor, Paul Greaney KC, said on Friday.
Outside Liverpool Crown Court, Chantal Rabbetts, from law firm Bond Turner, representing a number of Paul Doyle’s victims, said:
Our clients are relieved the criminal investigation has now come to a conclusion and they can start to move on with their recovery.
However, it is difficult to do so when there are still so many unanswered questions around the motivation for this crime.
Why Paul Doyle chose to act in this was on 26th May, we may never really know.
What we do know is that our clients are still living with the effects of his actions, both physically and mentally.
We are pleased to have been able to get them access to early rehabilitation but the fact is they will all have to live with the scars of that day for some time yet.
Ultimately, our clients came to Liverpool city centre to celebrate with the whole city and what should have been a memorable and joyful day is now being remembered for all the wrong reasons.
In this article, Daniel Barr, a former soldier, recalls how he brought an end to the attack as Doyle tried to accelerate further into the crowd of people on Liverpool’s Water Street in May.
Updated
The judge at Liverpool crown court said that Daniel Barr’s heroic actions likely “saved lives”.
He made a High Sheriff’s Award for Bravery and a monetary award of £250 in appreciation of his “exceptional courage and presence of mind”.
Barr, who was in the public gallery, stood and was thanked by the judge.
Doyle 'generated horror and chaos' during parade attack, CPS says, as it praises 'heroic actions' of man who brought an end to the rampage
The CPS has sent out a statement reacting to Doyle being sentenced to over 21 years for driving into a crowd at the Liverpool Premier League victory parade last May.
James Allison, a special prosecutor at CPS Mersey Cheshire’s complex casework unit, said that Doyle not only injured people celebrating the Premier League win, but he “generated horror and chaos on what was meant to be a day of celebration”.
Considering the possible reasons behind Doyle’s actions, Allison said the “truth is as simple as it is awful”.
“Paul Doyle lost his temper and, in a rage, drove into people, intending to cause them serious harm,” Allison said, describing the dashcam footage showing his journey to Liverpool city centre that day as “truly shocking”.
“Before he got to the city centre, he was driving aggressively, undertaking other cars and driving through red lights. As we now know, it was to get much worse,” Allison said.
“He did not even stop when he knew there were people trapped under his car. He continued revving his engine to try and continue forward.”
Allison went on to describe how the heroic actions of Daniel Barr forced an end to the chaos after he climbed into Doyle’s car and moved the gear selector into park.
Allison said:
Mr Barr got into the back of Paul Doyle’s car. He did not know what he was facing when he did but knew he had to stop him. To do so, he put the controls of the automatic car into “park” and held onto it.
Because of this action the vehicle eventually came to a stop. This no doubt prevented many more injuries, possibly even fatalities.
The Crown Prosecution Service would like to thank Mr Barr for what he did on that day. When he got into Paul Doyle’s car he had no thought for his own safety. He just knew he had to do something.
Doyle stared straight ahead, blinking, with no expression as the judge handed down his sentence.
There was no reaction from the former royal marine as he was taken down from the dock by prison officers at Liverpool crown court.
Doyle cried on several occasions in key parts of today’s session, including at points when the victim statements were read out.
Updated
The judge says he took into account the fact that Doyle had not committed any offences for over three decades and had made efforts to turn his life around after a “troubling start” to early adulthood, including going to university.
Character references described Doyle as a devoted husband, father, and good friend.
Before passing his sentence, the judge acknowledged that the sentence he was about to pass – of 21 years and six months – is to have a “devastating” impact but said its length was proportionate given the “gravity” of the offences.
The judge described the evidence against Doyle as overwhelming.
Doyle sentenced to 21 years and six months
The judge has sentenced Paul Doyle to 21 years and six months in prison for his actions. He has also been disqualified from driving and this extends three years after his release.
Doyle had previously pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, affray, 17 charges of attempting to cause grievous bodily harm (GBH) with intent, nine counts of causing GBH with intent and three counts of wounding with intent.
Updated
The judge said Doyle acted in an “inexplicable and undiluted fury” when he ploughed into crowds at Liverpool’s victory parade.
He said: “A number of witnesses, including serving police officers, describe you continuing to press the accelerator, even when people were visibly underneath the car.
“Your shouted expressions of frustration underline your state of mind at the time – not fear or panic, but an inexplicable and undiluted fury.”
Updated
Doyle, in the dock, bows his head, as the judge starts to read out a list of the injuries caused in the collision on 26 May 2025.
The judge told Doyle: “For no reason other than impatience and arrogance, your driving into the city was routinely dangerous.
“In poor weather conditions you repeatedly undertook other vehicles, took road hazards too quickly and drove through traffic lights at a junction.”
The judge said that on Dale Street Doyle’s driving was “aggressive and dangerous”, telling him: “You frightened pedestrians, leaning on your horn and shouting obscenities such as ‘get out of the fucking way’.”
Judge says the 'crowd did not cause this incident'
Judge Andrew Menary KC said the account given by Doyle in his police interview, in which he said he had acted out of panic due to the behaviour of some the crowd, was “demonstrably untrue”.
“The position should be stated clearly: The crowd did not cause this incident, they reacted to it, faced with a vehicle being driven directly at them, reversing and striking multiple people,” the judge said.
“They had no idea who you were, why you were driving in this manner and whether this was an attack of an even more serious nature.”
The judge said the attempt by Doyle to blame his actions on some of the football supporters on the street were “unfair” and “unfounded”.
Updated
Judge says Doyle's 'disregard for human life defies ordinary understanding'
The judge told Doyle that his “disregard for human life defies ordinary understanding”.
He told the defendant
It is almost impossible to comprehend how any right-thinking person could act as you did.
To drive a vehicle into crowds of pedestrians with such persistence and disregard for human life defies ordinary understanding.
The judge added: “Your actions caused horror and devastation on a scale not previously encountered by this court.”
Judge says Doyle caused 'scenes of devastation' as he 'deliberately' drove into crowd
In his sentencing remarks the judge said that Doyle drove “dangerously” into the city centre of Liverpool during the football celebrations and “deliberately” drove “into and over more than 100 pedestrians”, using his vehicle in a way that transformed it into a “weapon”.
“You made the conscious choice to drive past the cones and into the heart of the crowd,” he said.
“The footage is truly shocking. It is difficult if not impossible to convey in words alone the scenes of devastation you caused.”
“It shows you deliberately accelerating into groups of fans, time and time again.”
The sentencing judge describes the Liverpool parade as supposed to having been a day of celebration, but Doyle drove “dangerously” into the “heart of the crowd.”
“In a mere two minutes you used your vehicle in a manner that turned it into a weapon... deliberately driving into and over more than 100 pedestrians.”
Updated
Judge Andrew Menary KC has now begun his sentencing address.
Paul Doyle's lawyer says client is 'appalled by own conduct'
Doyle, who pleaded guilty last month, is “appalled by his own conduct”, his barrister Simon Csoka continues.
His client that day had not left the house with the intention of driving into the crowd and causing harm – he had gone to the parade to help pick up a friend and his friend’s children.
His sudden action to turn on the crowd was “unexpected and incomprehensible”.
“The spiralling effect of his conduct was utterly unexpected by him and utterly unexpected by all those who know him well.”
Updated
Doyle 'remorseful' and 'deeply sorry' - lawyer
Doyle’s lawyer Simon Csoka KC is now addressing the court. He says his client accepts full responsibility for his crimes in Liverpool.
He is “horrified” and “remorseful, ashamed and deeply sorry for all those who have suffered,” Csoka said.
“He accepts full responsibility, he expects no sympathy.”
Prosecutor Greaney says that run of convictions in Doyle’s early history would aggravate the seriousness of his offences in Liverpool.
However, he said the prosecution also recognised that in the 30 years between his prison release in 1995 and his actions in Liverpool in May, “the defendant had taken steps to live a positive and productive life.”
During that period, he was convicted of no offences. He went to university. He worked, including in positions of responsibility. He had a family.
Those efforts to rehabilitate himself after a difficult early adulthood only serve to make more shocking - and tragic - what he did in Liverpool that day this May.”
Doyle had history of assault convictions including biting off man's ear
Greaney goes through a list of Doyle’s previous convictions – he was found guilty of multiple offences both civilian and military.
Doyle was also discharged from the Royal Marines in 1993, after 22 months of service, because of the offences.
They took place when he was 18-22.
1989: He committed military offence equivalent to common assault and was give seven days’ detention
1991: Got into a scuffle with other men in a nightclub where he punched someone in the face multiple times and was convicted of assault
1992: Convicted of two more military offences – including using violence against a superior officer. Later that year he was also convicted of the military equivalent of a criminal damage offence
1993- Discharged and forced out of the Royal Marines
1994: Jailed for 12 months for biting off the ear of another man in a drunken brawl with sailors
He was released from prison in May 1995, the court hears, and took steps over the next 30 years to rehabilitate himself after a “difficult early adulthood”.
Updated
The lead prosecutor Paul Greaney KC is sharing details about Doyle’s background.
The reading of the victim impact statements is over. The court then heard about the impact of the attack on the hospitality sector in Liverpool. The police superintendent responsible for Liverpool city centre said Doyle’s actions had an impact on its “fragile hospitality sector” for days afterwards.
Paul Greaney KC, prosecuting, said: “The impact on the people most directly affected by what Paul Doyle did is, of course, the most important aspect of the consequences of that day.
“However, the impact on the community as a whole and on the business community should not be overlooked.”
Supt Charlotte Irlam’s statement praised restaurants Riva Blu and Mowgli for allowing their premises to be used as casualty triage centres.
She said: “Despite the gravity of impact this has had on the businesses, I commend those involved for their strong sense of community and resilience that has been shown.
“These were truly horrific circumstances, but we have seen the community come together, acting selflessly in the aftermath to support those who had been injured in the incident, but also the support to the emergency services through their patience and understanding as the area was able to return to normality.”
In his victim impact statement, Rhys Jones, 30, said he has not regained feeling in his hand since the incident.
He said: “Since the incident, my nerves have been through the roof. I struggle daily with anxiety, pain and frustration. I am not the same person I was before it happened, and it continues to affect my life in every way.”
Jumoke Ofuya, 24, said in his statement to Liverpool Crown Court: “I count myself lucky to have not been killed when this happened, and I had been waking up – multiple nights each week in the early aftermath of the attack – struggling to escape from this nightmare that sees me trapped under the car with little chance of survival.”
The court has heard that Susan Passey, 77, spent 27 nights in hospital and was worried she would not be able to walk unaided again due to the attack.
She said: “I feel hurt my life will never be the same again, through no fault of my own.”
Doyle was seen sobbing in the dock as he looked at the floor while the statement was read.
Passey’s son Ian, 47, said he got up from the ground after being hit by Doyle’s car to realise he had lost sight of his mother. He said he found her pinned under the car in a pool of blood.
In a statement, he said:
Not being able to get close to her, hold her hand and reassure her, I feared the worst. I thought my mum had been killed, and called my brother on the telephone to tell him just that.
He said he still had vivid nightmares and was unable to go into large crowds.
He said: “The actions on May 26 of one man will change mine and mum’s life for ever.”
Some of those sitting in public gallery were in tears during the statement.
'Trauma' from parade attack has 'taken me to a darker place than my cancer battle'
In a statement read to the court, David Price, 44, said he was invited to Liverpool to celebrate the end of metastatic stage 3c testicular cancer.
He said:
This weekend was meant to be joyful, a symbol of recovery and hope after surviving one of the darkest periods of my life.
This trauma has taken me to a darker place than even my cancer battle did.
Price said as Doyle’s car came towards him, he thought: “This is it”.
He added:
I truly believe that if I hadn’t instinctively lifted myself off the bonnet, I would have been dragged underneath. That fear, raw and paralysing, has stayed with me every day since.
Updated
'I don't recognise the person I have become' since being injured by Doyle
Stefan Dettlaff, 73, has said he no longer feels capable of looking after his family due to the devastating impacts of the attack.
Dettlaff’s statement read: “I was the man of the house, protective of my wife and kids, the one they could turn to and know I’d be there to help.
“But now I feel a wreck. I don’t recognise the person I have become, I no longer feel strong, no longer feel capable of looking after my family.”
Dettlaff said he had seen his wife, Hilda, 74, go from a “strong, independent, caring wife and mum to a shell of a person that sometimes I don’t recognise”.
'I used to feel a deep sense of pride looking at the Liverpool skyline... now it fills me with fear'
Sam Alexander, 31, said he feared his fiancee, Hannah O’Neill, 30, was dead when he was hit by Doyle’s car on 26 May.
He said: “When I am in moment of calm, I become angry because I can’t define a motivation, there is no logic, it makes no sense.”
O’Neill said their wedding plans are now on hold, adding:
I used to feel a deep sense of pride and belonging when I looked at the Liverpool skyline. It was my favourite place. Now it fills me with fear and bad memories.
Updated
'The physical scars are visible, but the emotional ones run deeper'
Robin Darke, 62, said he was left laying in the street for hours “freezing, in agony and terrified” after the attack.
He underwent five operations due to complications from an open wound on his ankle and is now “permanently scarred and disfigured”, the court heard.
Doyle appeared to cry in the dock as details of Darke’s complications, which included being diagnosed with a flesh-eating disease, were detailed.
In his statement, Darke said: “The physical scars are visible, but the emotional ones run deeper. We did not deserve this. No one does.”
As a reminder, on Monday, prosecutors said in the space of two minutes, Doyle’s Ford Galaxy – which weighed nearly two tonnes – collided with “well over 100 people” and he was “prepared to cause those in the crowd, even children, serious harm if necessary to achieve his aim of getting through”.
Doyle admitted to dangerous driving, affray, 17 charges of attempting to cause grievous bodily harm (GBH) with intent, nine counts of causing GBH with intent and three counts of wounding with intent last month.
'I have not yet felt able to return to Liverpool'
One female victim describes the lasting trauma she experiences from the attack in her impact statement.
“I’ve not yet felt able to return to the city of Liverpool,” she said, adding she is not sure when she will “be able to return to my city”.
Jasmine Deverill, 36, described how the incident had left her “constantly on edge”, saying: “I startle easily, especially around loud and unexpected noises.
“I have been left afraid of big crowds and unknown public places, or where I think might be seen as a targeted place such as a station or market.”
Susan Farrell, 55, in a statement on behalf of herself and her 62-year-old husband Colin Farrell, who is from Liverpool, urged Paul Doyle to “be brave and take accountability” for his actions.
She said: “There are hundreds of people affected by your actions. I want you to think about them all. Don’t sit in the dock and cry for yourself.”
“Be brave and take accountability for what you did.” Doyle, in tears, looked at the floor as the statement was read.
The court was also told how Michael Blair, 30, who is self-employed, said he had lost jobs because he was unable to work.
His mother, Deborah Blair, 55, said her son wanted to honour his father, who died two years ago, by attending the Liverpool FC victory parade in May.
She said: “I initially told him I didn’t want to go but when it got to the day, I decided to support him and for the first time in years I felt OK … It felt like a glimpse of normality after so much pain.
“Since then though I’ve barely left the house. Loud noises make me cower.”
'The horror of not knowing whether he was alive or dead will haunt me forever'
The court heard one woman, who was with her baby, suffered physical injuries and had since been diagnosed with PTSD.
She said she repeatedly relieves the “moment of the collision”, especially the “terrifying” image of her “pram” being struck by Doyle’s car.
“The horror of not knowing whether he was alive or dead in that instant will haunt me forever,” she said.
She said of her child:
I often reflect on how close we came to losing him and I feel immense gratitude that he survived. I hold him tighter and love him harder, knowing how easily he could have been taken away.
“This incident has profoundly affected every aspect of my life – physically, emotionally, psychologically and socially,” she said.
“It has changed how I see the world, how I interact with others and how I care for my child.
“I hope you understand the depth of the trauma I have endured and continue to live with because of your actions.”
'Even hearing the Liverpool accent can trigger anxiety'
A powerful victim impact statement from Emily Wright, a 29-year-old woman whose foot was injured in the attack, has been read to the court.
She said:
I have been diagnosed with PTSD and suffer persistent symptoms that affect my day-to-day functioning.
I relive the moment of the collision repeatedly, especially the terrifying image of my pram being struck and taken by the car, with my six-month-old baby inside.
The horror of not knowing whether he was alive or dead in that instant will haunt me forever.
She added:
Even hearing the Liverpool accent, which I associate with police calls and the location of the incident, can trigger anxiety and physical symptoms like dizziness and a racing heart.
I do not live locally so the accent is now tied exclusively to traumatic memories.
Updated
Hearing at Liverpool crown court resumes
The hearing at Liverpool crown court has started. The courtroom is filled with legal representatives and reporters.
Paul Doyle, wearing a dark suit and tie, has been brought into the dock, where he sits between two security guards.
His head is bowed as more victim impact statements are read out to the court by Philip Astbury, the prosecution’s junior counsel.
Updated
Josh Halliday, the Guardian’s North of England editor, was covering the case held at Liverpool crown court yesterday and will be reporting on the sentencing today. Here is some of his report from Monday:
Paul Greaney KC, prosecuting, warned those in Liverpool crown court on Monday that the footage from Paul Doyle’s Ford Galaxy was “truly shocking”.
It showed the father of three shouting “fucking pricks” and “fucking move” as he drove towards hundreds of fans, some pulling children out of the way as he blasted the vehicle’s horn.
Doyle injured 134 people, including more than 50 who needed hospital treatment, in his “sickening” seven-minute rampage on 26 May, the court was told.
Footage from a police body-worn camera showed four victims – including a 77-year-old woman and a bleeding 11-year-old boy – being rescued from beneath the two-tonne vehicle as an officer shouted: “Oh my god, oh my god!”…
A six-month-old boy, Teddy Eveson, was “extraordinarily” uninjured despite being left lying on the road when Doyle’s car hit his pushchair, Greaney said …
His mother, Sheree Aldridge, said in a statement read to court that she felt “disfigured” and “robbed of the memories” of maternity leave.
Aldridge suffered a “de-gloving” injury to her right thigh, where the skin and soft tissue was torn away and for which she is still receiving treatment. “Teddy will never be the same again; I will never be the same again. I am scarred for life,” she said.
Updated
Man who drove into Liverpool FC parade due to be sentenced
A driver who was said to have used a car as a “weapon” to plough through more than 100 people celebrating Liverpool’s Premier League title win in May is due to be sentenced later today.
Paul Doyle, 54, last month pleaded guilty to 31 offences against 21 adults and eight children.
The father of three, of Croxteth, Liverpool, admitted to dangerous driving, affray, 17 charges of attempting to cause grievous bodily harm (GBH) with intent, nine counts of causing GBH with intent and three counts of wounding with intent. He had previously denied the offences.
A number of victim impact statements were read during the first day of Doyle’s two-day sentencing hearing at Liverpool crown court on Monday, where victims spoke about their terror and injuries.
More than 50 people needed hospital treatment, including a number of children, as Doyle’s Ford Galaxy struck more than 100 fans in just seven minutes. He had deliberately driven his car at football fans after tailgating an ambulance down a packed road that was closed to non-emergency vehicles on 26 May.
Victims of Doyle wept as dashcam footage showed bodies spinning through the air as he accelerated into crowds while screaming: “Fucking hell, move!”
Doyle was in Liverpool to collect a friend and his family from the celebrations, according to prosecutor Paul Greaney KC, who said:
In a rage, he drove into the crowd, and when he did so, he intended to cause people within the crowd serious harm …
He was prepared to cause those in the crowd, even children, serious harm if necessary to achieve his aim of getting through.
Further victim impact statements are expected this morning and Doyle is due to be sentenced later.
