Man Who Rammed Car Into Liverpool Fans Jailed For 21 Years

A man who deliberately drove his car into crowds celebrating Liverpool’s Premier League title has been sentenced to 21 years and six months in prison, after a court heard how his actions turned a day of joy into one of terror.

Paul Doyle, 54, broke down in tears as victim impact statements were read aloud in court, detailing life-changing injuries and trauma that many victims will carry forever.

“What should have been a day of communal celebration has been instead left as a lasting legacy of fear, injury, and loss across this community,” Judge Andrew Menary told Doyle.

“Your actions caused horror and devastation on a scale not previously encountered by this court.”

During a two-day sentencing hearing, the court was shown disturbing dashcam footage capturing Doyle repeatedly sounding his horn, shouting, and swearing at fans as he forced his way through the packed streets.

“The impact extended far beyond those named on the indictment, parents and children, police officers, grandparents, students, tourists, and passers-by were all cut up, caught up in the events, which many believed in the moment to be a mass casualty terror attack,” Menary said.

Prosecutors said Doyle deliberately turned his vehicle into a weapon, injuring 134 people in less than 10 minutes.

Addressing the court on Monday, prosecuting lawyer Paul Greaney said Doyle acted out of pure rage.

“Paul Doyle just lost his temper in his desire to get to where he wanted to go. In a rage, he drove into the crowd, and when he did so, he intended to cause people within the crowd serious harm,” he said.

Doyle admitted guilt to 31 criminal offences last month, including causing grievous bodily harm with intent, wounding with intent, affray, and dangerous driving.

He had initially denied the charges, with prosecutors saying he intended to contest them by arguing that he drove into the crowds after panicking.

However, he unexpectedly changed his plea on the second day of his trial in November, pleading guilty to all 31 counts.

According to AFP, the father of two had left his home in a Liverpool suburb on May 26 to pick up a friend amid the massive celebrations marking Liverpool’s record-equalling 20th English top-flight title.

Instead, over a period of about seven minutes, Doyle drove his nearly two-tonne vehicle into pedestrians, seemingly at random. Some victims were thrown onto the bonnet of the car.

Although no lives were lost, Merseyside Police confirmed that 50 people required hospital treatment.

Despite hitting multiple people, Doyle continued driving, turning onto another street where he struck more pedestrians. At one point, he reversed the vehicle, hitting others and colliding with an ambulance.

“You had repeated opportunities to stop, but you chose instead to continue that regardless,” Judge Menary said.

The vehicle was finally brought to a halt after several people, including children, became trapped underneath it. A bystander managed to jump into the car and put it into park.

“In my 20 years of policing, this is the most distressing and graphic footage that I have come across in terms of his dashcam,” said Merseyside Police Detective Chief Inspector John Fitzgerald.