Liverpool Parade Attacker Paul Doyle 'Just Lost His Temper' When He Ploughed Car Into 100 Fans, Court Hears

A man who drove his car through crowds of Liverpool supporters, injuring more than 130 people, told police he had panicked, but a court has heard he had simply lost his temper. Paul Doyle, 54, used his vehicle 'as a weapon' after becoming frustrated with street closures following the club's Premier League title celebration in May.

Prosecutors told Liverpool Crown Court on Monday that Doyle's initial claims of being scared were false. Dashcam footage revealed he shouted expletives at pedestrians before striking them. A bystander was forced to intervene to stop the vehicle. Doyle has pleaded guilty to 31 offences and awaits sentencing.

The Attack on Water Street

'The truth is a simple one. Paul Doyle just lost his temper in his desire to get to where he wanted', prosecutor Paul Greaney KC told the court, according to the BBC. Between 17:59 and 18:01 on 26 May, Doyle used his two-tonne vehicle 'as a weapon' and struck well over 100 people on Water Street. When the vehicle finally stopped, several people, including children, were trapped underneath.

Victims Recount Horror of Attack

The victim impact statements were absolutely brutal to hear. Sheree Aldridge, who's 37, described watching Doyle's car strike her baby son Teddy's pram. The pushchair went flying through the air.

'I felt an overwhelming pain in my leg and looked up to see Teddy's pushchair on its side further up the road. I thought my Teddy was dead', she said. 'I thought I was next. I thought my children would grow up without a mother'.

Teddy somehow escaped without injury, but more than 130 other people were hurt, with victims ranging in age from six months to 77 years old. At least 50 required hospital treatment. A 12-year-old boy told the court he had never been so scared in his life, and his mother said the image of her son lying motionless on the road would haunt her forever.

Dashcam Footage Reveals Tirade of Abuse

The court was shown dashcam and CCTV footage of the incident. Doyle wept as the footage was played. The recording captured him screaming at people. 'Move', 'f****** pricks', and 'get out the f****** way' as pedestrians tried to evade his vehicle.

After striking a 10-year-old girl, he was heard saying, 'F****** hell, move', before continuing to drive.

Greaney described him as 'a man out of control'. The footage showed parents pulling their children to safety and one person landing on the car's windscreen, shattering it. Doyle reversed multiple times, hitting more people, and also crashed into an ambulance.

Bystander's Intervention

Prosecutors described Daniel Barr as a hero for stopping the attack. Mr Barr saw the vehicle weaving through the crowd with people being thrown 'flying into the air'. When the vehicle paused, he opened the back door and climbed inside.

As the car began moving again, Barr leaned forward and forced the gear selector into park, holding it there until the vehicle came to a complete stop. Witnesses confirmed that Doyle kept his foot on the accelerator and was only stopped by Barr's intervention.

Legal Proceedings and Sentencing

After being detained in a police van, Doyle was recorded saying, 'I've just ruined my family's life'. In a formal police interview, he claimed he had stopped the car as soon as he realised he had hit someone, a claim prosecutors called 'nonsense'.

'The strong sense from the dashcam footage is that the defendant regarded himself as the most important person on Dale Street, and considered that everyone else needed to get out of his way', Greaney said.

Last month, Doyle pleaded guilty to 31 offences, including dangerous driving, affray, and 17 charges of attempting to cause grievous bodily harm with intent. He initially denied the charges but changed his plea on the second day of his trial.

Judge Andrew Menary KC has told Doyle that a long prison sentence is 'inevitable'. The sentencing hearing continues on Tuesday.