Paul Doyle sobbed in Liverpool Crown Court on Tuesday as victims described the lasting trauma from his "rampage" through crowds celebrating Liverpool's Premier League title win. The 54-year-old former Royal Marine faces sentencing later today after pleading guilty to 31 offences for deliberately driving his Ford Galaxy into more than 100 people on May 26.
Prosecutor Paul Astbury read statements from 78 victims during the second day of the sentencing hearing. The emotional testimonies detailed how a day of celebration turned into a scene of terror when Doyle ploughed his nearly two-tonne vehicle through packed streets near Water Street around 6pm.
Among the victims was six-month-old Teddy Eveson, whose pram was struck and thrown approximately 15 feet. His mother told the court: «I relive the moment of the collision repeatedly, especially the terrifying image of my pram being struck and taken by the car with my six-month-old baby inside. The horror of not knowing whether he was alive or dead in that instant will haunt me forever.»
Prosecutor Paul Greaney KC told the court Doyle used his car as a «weapon» in his rage. «In a rage, he drove into the crowd, and when he did so, he intended to cause people within the crowd serious harm,» Greaney said. «He was prepared to cause those in the crowd, even children, serious harm if necessary to achieve his aim of getting through.»
Hero's intervention and lasting trauma
The rampage ended when Daniel Barr, a former soldier, climbed into Doyle's vehicle and put it into park during the final 16 seconds of its movement. But the intervention came at a personal cost for Barr, who told the court the incident resurfaced trauma from his military service in Iraq.
«But since that day it has brought everything to the surface, and I find I can no longer put a mask on and carry on as normal,» Barr said in his statement. «I am angry when I go to bed. I don't sleep very well, if at all. I wake up angry. Big things don't bother me, but little things do. I am quick to anger and slow to hide it.»
A 51-year-old grandmother, whose grandson was struck by the vehicle, described «horrific» flashbacks. «Every time I close my eyes, I am back at the scene reliving it over and over again,» she told the court. «The nightmares are real, and I wake sobbing.»
Direct confrontation in court
Susan Farrell, 55, delivered a powerful statement on behalf of herself and her husband Colin, directly addressing Doyle as he sat in the dock. «Don't sit in the dock and cry for yourself,» she said. «Be brave and take accountability for what you did.»
Farrell described how the incident robbed her family of their connection to Liverpool. Her eldest daughter no longer watches Liverpool FC matches, while her youngest daughter remains terrified and is on a waiting list for trauma therapy.
Dashcam footage played in court captured Doyle shouting «move», «f****** pricks», and «get out the f****** way» as he drove toward fans. After his arrest, he told police: «I've just ruined my family's life.»
The charges and what's next
Doyle pleaded guilty last month to dangerous driving, affray, 17 charges of attempting to cause grievous bodily harm with intent, nine counts of causing GBH with intent, and three counts of wounding with intent. His victims ranged from six months to 77 years old, with more than 50 requiring hospital treatment.
The Honorary Recorder of Liverpool Andrew Menary KC is expected to pass sentence later on Tuesday. The judge has already warned Doyle to prepare for a «custodial sentence of some length».
Note: This article was created with Artificial Intelligence (AI).
