On December 16, 2025, 54-year-old British man Paul Doyle pleaded guilty to 31 criminal charges, including driving his car into a crowd during Liverpool Football Club’s championship parade in May, injuring over 130 people. He was sentenced to 21 and a half years in prison.
Prosecutor Paul Greaney stated on Monday (December 15) that Doyle acted out of anger, losing his sense of reason on what was supposed to be a “joyous day,” creating terror. He drove into the celebrating crowd, hitting people with some victims being thrown by the car and others dragged underneath, including 8 children.
Doyle’s lawyer, Simon Csoka, told the court that the suspect was “deeply regretful, ashamed, and sorry” for his actions.
Liverpool Crown Court Judge Andrew Menary, during the sentencing on Tuesday, expressed his disbelief at how any sane person could commit such acts, labeling Doyle’s actions as barbaric and showing a complete disregard for life.
The prosecutor mentioned in court on Monday that around one million people flooded the streets to celebrate Liverpool’s 20th English League title win, watching the team parade with the Premier League trophy on an open-top bus.
Doyle was driving to the city center to meet his friends participating in the parade. At around 6 pm, he shouted, cursed, and honked his horn while driving into the crowd, repeatedly hitting pedestrians for a total of 77 seconds.
Victims shared the long-term impacts of the incident on themselves and their families, with some unable to work or care for their loved ones, others avoiding crowded places and unable to attend any Liverpool team activities.
Doyle briefly served in the British Royal Marines in the early 1990s but was discharged due to multiple violent crimes.
The judge and prosecutors commended the brave bystanders who intervened to stop Doyle’s rampage. Former soldier Daniel Barr jumped into the back seat of Doyle’s car, bringing it to a halt and preventing further harm.
Judge Menary praised Barr’s actions as “extremely brave,” not only averting further injuries but potentially saving more lives because of it.
James Allison, a special prosecutor from the Crown Prosecution Service, referred to Barr’s actions as that of a “true hero.”
However, Barr, in an interview with the BBC, humbly stated that he does not consider himself a hero, as everyone present was doing the same thing at the time.