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The 54-year-old admitted to 31 charges against 29 victims after admitting deliberately crashing into them after the Liverpool Parade
Alex RossWednesday 26 November 2025 11:17 GMT
ClosePolice at scene after car crashes into pedestrians at Liverpool FC parade
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He was a family man, highly respected in his community. But today, Paul Doyle faces a lengthy prison sentence after admitting driving a car into a crowd at Liverpool’s victory parade – turning a day of celebration into devastation.
From the outside, Doyle appeared to have it all.
Neighbours say he was happily married with three children and lived in a detached four-bedroom home in a leafy area of Liverpool.
He was fit and appeared to have been successful in his career – an ex-Royal Marine Commando who had later run his own firm before working in cybersecurity.
open image in galleryPaul Doyle, 54, has pleaded guilty to a string of offences after driving his car into a crowd of supporters during the Liverpool FC victory parade in May (Facebook)But on 26 May, the 54-year-old sent shockwaves through the nation when he drove a Ford Galaxy vehicle past a roadblock and into supporters as they walked away from the Liverpool FC victory parade event, striking the heart of a city united in jubilation.
A total of 134 people were injured, including a six-month-old baby.
At an earlier court appearance, Doyle, whose address was given as Croxteth, Liverpool, was accused of “using his car as a weapon”. At a later appearance, he pleaded not guilty to 31 charges relating to 29 victims, aged between six months and 77 years.
But on Wednesday, on the second day of his trial at Liverpool Crown Court, he dramatically changed his pleas and admitted all the offences against him.
Sarah Hammond, chief crown prosecutor for CPS Mersey-Cheshire, said it was an “act of calculated violence”. She said: “This was not a momentary lapse by Paul Doyle – it was a choice he made that day.”
Who is Paul Doyle?
Doyle was married to his wife for 20 years and had three children, neighbours said.
The family lived in a smart detached home at the end of a quiet cul-de-sac, where spacious properties command an average selling price of £217,000.
Doyle’s LinkedIn profile says he was a Royal Marine commando between 1990 and 1994 before working in IT and cybersecurity.
He graduated with a BSc in Psychology and Maths from the University of Liverpool in 1998 and set up his own retail business, called Far Out Caps, 10 years later.
Neighbours say he was working in cybersecurity at the time of the offence.
Outside of work, people who knew him said he was sporty, and he would often be seen running or on his bicycle when outside the house.
Photos on social media show him enjoying various family holidays, including trips to Disneyland, Florida and Dubai.
What charges did Doyle plead guilty to?
Paul Doyle pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, affray and 17 charges of attempting to cause grievous bodily harm (GBH) with intent.
He also admitted nine counts of causing GBH with intent and three counts of wounding with intent.
A jury had been sworn in for his trial on Tuesday, but the following day, when the prosecution case was due to be opened, Doyle was asked to re-enter his pleas to the charges.
open image in galleryDoyle appearing at Liverpool Magistrates’ Court after his arrest in May (PA)He sat with his head down and sobbed as he changed his pleas, speaking with a broken voice as he occasionally wiped away tears as the charges were read to him again.
What happened at the Liverpool victory parade?
Up to one million supporters had gathered to celebrate Liverpool’s 20th Premier League victory in a 10-mile parade in the city on Monday 26 May.
But as they left, Doyle drove past a roadblock on Water Street and ploughed into the crowd. In May, Merseyside Police said they believed the driver had followed an ambulance onto Water Street after a roadblock was temporarily lifted for crews to attend to a person having a heart attack.
open image in galleryA total of 134 people were injured, with 50 taken to hospital (PA)Mobile phone footage showed the car coming to a stop amid screams from the crowd. Seconds later, it lurched forward again before finally coming to a stop.
Emergency services rushed to the scene with fire crews rescuing four people trapped under the vehicle, including a child.
As Doyle was arrested, nearby restaurants were turned into emergency shelters as some of those injured were treated while police began the major investigation.
After 72 hours of questioning, Doyle was charged and appeared at Liverpool Magistrates’ Court the following day.
He shook his head as the prosecutor Philip Astbury told the court he allegedly “drove deliberately” at a crowd of people, and at a later court hearing pleaded not guilty to a series of charges related to the crash.
