Man pleads guilty to Liverpool parade crash charges
Paul Doyle, 54, pleaded guilty to 31 offences after the crash on May 26th
Last updated 26th Nov 2025
The man accused of crashing his car into fans at Liverpool's Premier League title parade has pleaded guilty to all charges.
Paul Doyle, 54, from Croxteth sobbed as he admitted 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 at Liverpool Crown Court on Wednesday.
A jury was 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.
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.
He had previously denied the offences, all relating to the incident on May 26, which happened as crowds were gathered in the city to celebrate the football team's Premier League title win.
More than 130 people reported injuries after Doyle drove his Ford Galaxy Titanium into crowds on Water Street just after 6pm.
He was arrested at the scene and charged later that week.
The charges relate to 29 victims, aged between six months and 77 years old.
The youngest alleged victim was Teddy Eveson, whose parents later told media he was thrown about 15 feet down the road in his pram when the crash happened.
Doyle admitted attempting to cause grievous bodily harm to the baby.
Five other children, who Doyle is alleged to have either injured or attempted to injure, cannot be named for legal reasons.
The defendant, reportedly a former Royal Marine, was in tears at a number of pre-trial hearings when he appeared over videolink from prison.
He was supported in court by family members.
Thousands of Liverpool fans were in the city on the day of Doyle's attack to watch the parade, which started at 2.30pm and travelled 15km before entering the city centre.
The team bus had travelled down The Strand, which passes the end of Water Street, before the incident and the parade was coming to a close, with supporters heading home.
In May, Merseyside Police said they believed the driver had followed an ambulance onto Water Street after a road block was temporarily lifted for crews to attend to a person having a heart attack.
Sarah Hammond, chief crown prosecutor for CPS Mersey-Cheshire, said: "Today's convictions bring a measure of justice for an act that caused unimaginable harm during what should have been a day of celebration for the city of Liverpool.
"Paul Doyle has been held responsible for his deliberate actions that endangered lives and brought chaos upon a community. A total of 134 people were injured, including children as young as six months. This attack did not just harm individuals - it struck at the heart of a city united in joy, leaving fear in its wake.
"By entering guilty pleas, Doyle has finally accepted that he intentionally drove into crowds of innocent people during Liverpool FC's victory parade.
"Dashcam footage from Doyle's vehicle shows that as he approached Dale Street and Water Street, he became increasingly agitated by the crowds. Rather than wait for them to pass, he deliberately drove at them, forcing his way through.
"Driving a vehicle into a crowd is an act of calculated violence. This was not a momentary lapse by Paul Doyle - it was a choice he made that day and it turned celebration into mayhem.
"I would like to commend the bravery of emergency services who acted swiftly at the scene. There can be no doubt that their actions saved lives.
"Liverpool as a city has shown resilience and unity in the face of this awful act, and I hope the victims, their families and anyone affected will feel justice has been done."
The Recorder of Liverpool Andrew Menary KC told Doyle it was "inevitable" he would be facing a custodial sentence "of some length" following his change of pleas.
A sentencing date was set for December 15 and 16 at the same court.