Paul Doyle pleaded guilty to all 31 offences relating to the Liverpool FC title parade crash in May, which saw his car collide with over 100 people.
Paul Doyle, 54, has pleaded guilty to all 31 offences relating to the Liverpool FC Premier League title celebrations crash last May in a surprise move at Liverpool Crown Court on Wednesday, the day his trial was set to begin.
The offences related to 29 victims, aged between six months and 77, and included 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, according to a report from The Standard.
Merseyside Police detailed that Doyle’s seven minutes of dangerous driving on May 26 led to his Ford Galaxy Titanium colliding with more than 100 men, women and children, causing serious injuries and trapping people underneath.
Detective Chief Inspector John Fitzgerald stated it was only by “sheer luck” no one was killed.
Prosecutors asserted that the action was intentional. Chief Crown prosecutor Sarah Hammond stated: “By entering guilty pleas, Doyle has finally accepted that he intentionally drove into crowds of innocent people during Liverpool FC’s victory parade.
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.”
Liverpool FC released a statement hoping the conviction brings “some peace” to those affected. Recorder of Liverpool Judge Andrew Menary KC told Doyle:
“It is inevitable there will be a custodial sentence of some length and you should prepare yourself for that inevitability.”