Driver of Ford Galaxy who hit Liverpool parade crowd jailed for 21.5 years

Liverpool parade crowd in May 2025/PHOTO DannyDouble via Wikimedia Commons

JAKARTA - A man who used his car as a "weapon" to hit more than 130 people at Liverpool FC's victory parade was sentenced to 21 years and 6 months in prison.

Paul Doyle, 54, drove towards the crowd "in a state of anger" on May 26.

Judge Andrew Menary KC said the former Royal Marine, who was a paratrooper in the 2nd Battalion, Royal Gurkha Rifles, had caused "fear and panic" and "his disregard for human life was beyond the pale of common understanding".

He admitted 31 charges including causing grievous bodily harm with intent, and dangerous driving and assault, with victims ranging from a six-month-old baby to a 77-year-old woman.

The father-of-three was on his way into the city centre to pick up friends from a parade when he "lost control" and ploughed his Ford Galaxy straight into supporters making their way home from the Premier League title celebrations.

Dashcam footage from Doyle's vehicle shows moments when fans were thrown into the hood of his car or fell under the car as he accelerated his vehicle on Water Street, which had been closed to traffic.

Doyle can be heard shouting "get out of the way" and swearing at the crowd, including after he hit a 10-year-old girl.

While sitting in a police car after the incident, Doyle is heard saying "my life is ruined now" in a police bodycam recording.

Judge Menary told Doyle when sentencing: "It is difficult, if not impossible, to describe in words the scene of devastation you caused. It shows you, deliberately, repeatedly speeding up the speed of the vehicle towards the crowd of fans," he said, as reported by the BBC, Wednesday, December 17.

"You hit people directly, knocked others into the car hood, ran over limbs, destroyed strollers, and forced people nearby to scatter in fear," Judge Menary added.

Doyle is said to have acted in "unexplained anger" when he hit more than 100 people in two minutes - and only stopped after a pedestrian managed to get into the automatic vehicle to force the gear lever into park position.