A Liverpool man has been sentenced to 21 years and six months in prison after driving into crowds celebrating the city’s Premier League victory, causing widespread injury and trauma. The sentencing was handed down on Tuesday at Liverpool Crown Court.
Paul Doyle, 54, admitted to 31 criminal charges, including causing grievous bodily harm with intent, wounding with intent, affray, and dangerous driving. The charges relate to 29 victims, aged from six months to 77 years. While no fatalities occurred, 50 people required hospital treatment.
Judge Andrew Menary described the attack as causing “horror and devastation on a scale not previously encountered by this court,” noting that what should have been a day of celebration instead left a lasting legacy of fear, injury, and trauma.
Dashcam footage played in court showed Doyle aggressively driving into pedestrians, honking and shouting at the crowd in a fit of rage. Some victims were thrown against the car, including a six-month-old baby in a pram, who was miraculously unharmed.
The incident unfolded on May 26, as Doyle drove his Ford Galaxy Titanium into streets filled with fans celebrating Liverpool’s record-equalling 20th English top-flight title. He continued striking people across multiple streets, at one point reversing and hitting more pedestrians, as well as an ambulance. The car eventually stopped when onlookers intervened.
Prosecutor Paul Greaney said Doyle “used the vehicle as a weapon” in his rage, intending to cause serious harm to the crowd. Police confirmed the incident was not linked to terrorism.
Onlookers described scenes of chaos, with multiple victims trapped beneath the vehicle. Detective Chief Inspector John Fitzgerald of Merseyside Police called the dashcam footage “the most distressing and graphic” he had encountered in 20 years of policing.
This sentencing highlights the severe legal consequences of reckless and intentional acts of violence against the public.
