Liverpool parade crash trial: Paul Doyle facing custodial sentence after changing pleas to guilty on all 31 charges
Paul Doyle has changed his pleas to guilty on all 31 charges relating to the Liverpool parade crash in May, which include dangerous driving and affray.
Doyle, 54, also admitted nine counts of causing grievous bodily harm (GBH) with intent, 17 counts of attempting to cause GBH and three counts of wounding with intent.
Prosecutors say Doyle was left with no choice but to plead guilty after police reviewed hours of CCTV footage, mobile phone recordings, and dashcam footage to piece together what happened on May 26.
Doyle had previously pleaded not guilty.
Judge Andrew Menary KC has set a two-day sentencing date from December 15.
He remanded Doyle in custody, telling him he faces a “custodial sentence of some length” and that he should prepare himself for that “inevitable outcome”.
More than 130 people reported injuries after a Ford Galaxy Titanium collided with crowds on Water Street just after 6pm on the day of the trophy parade.
The charges relate to 29 victims, aged between six months and 77 years old.
Doyle turned ‘celebration into mayhem,’ says prosecutors
Chief Crown Prosecutor Sarah Hammond said in a statement the 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”.
She said his “deliberate actions” endangered lives and “brought chaos upon a community”.
“This attack did not just harm individuals – it struck at the heart of a city united in joy, leaving fear in its wake,” she said.
Hammond said by his guilty pleas Doyle accepts he “intentionally drove into crowds of innocent people” with dashcam footage showing “he became increasingly agitated by the crowds”.
“Rather than wait for them to pass, he deliberately drove at them, forcing his way through,” she said.
“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: We hope conviction brings peace to victims
Liverpool have also released a statement on the matter, which read: “Our victory parade last May allowed an unprecedented number of Liverpool fans to celebrate together our Premier League title win – something we were unable to do in 2020.
“The day of incredible joy ended in unimaginable circumstances and we hope today’s conviction brings some peace to all those affected by the horrific incident. Our thoughts are with them all.
“We would like to thank our emergency services and partner agencies – Merseyside Police, North West and St John Ambulance Services, Merseyside Fire & Rescue – and members of the public, who responded with such bravery and compassion on the day. Their actions undoubtedly saved lives and exemplified the spirit of our city.”
Merseyside Police: Sheer luck nobody was killed
Merseyside Police has released a statement with Detective Chief Inspector John Fitzgerald saying: “It is hard to forget the shocking scenes from that day.
“What should have been a day of celebration for the city turned into a distressing and frightening experience, which we know continues to have a physical and psychological impact on many people.
“Thousands of people had gathered in the city to watch the Liverpool FC parade and it is only by sheer luck that nobody was killed because of Doyle’s reckless actions.
“We know that a lot of people are still recovering from the injuries they suffered on that day and our thoughts remain with them and those that continue to be affected.”
How change of pleas unfolded
A jury had been sworn in for Doyle’s trial on Tuesday but on Wednesday morning, when the prosecution’s 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 Liverpool’s 2024/25 Premier League title win.
