Liverpool Parade Car Attack: Driver Breaks Down in Court, Pleads Guilty to Deliberately Ramming Crowd

A 54-year-old British man, Paul Doyle, broke down in tears as he dramatically changed his plea and admitted to deliberately driving his car into crowds during Liverpool Football Club’s Premier League victory parade in May, injuring more than 100 people.

Doyle, who had denied 31 charges for months including causing grievous bodily harm with intent, wounding, affray and dangerous driving changed his plea to guilty on the second day of his trial just as prosecutors prepared to present evidence.

Appearing in court wearing a suit and glasses, Doyle repeatedly whispered “guilty” while staring at the floor. Judge Andrew Menary scheduled sentencing to begin on December 15 and warned Doyle to expect a lengthy prison term. The most serious charges carry a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.

Doyle, a father of three and former Royal Marine from a Liverpool suburb, used his nearly two-tonne Ford Galaxy Titanium to forcefully drive through pedestrians leaving the May 26 parade. According to Merseyside Police, 134 people—including infants, children and adults—were injured, with 50 requiring hospital treatment. No fatalities were recorded.

Prosecutors described the incident as a shocking act of road rage. Sarah Hammond of the Crown Prosecution Service said dash-cam footage showed Doyle growing “increasingly agitated by the crowds” before deliberately accelerating into them. She said his actions were “an act of calculated violence” that turned a day of celebration into “mayhem”.

After hitting his first victims, Doyle continued through another street, striking additional people, reversing into others, and even colliding with an ambulance. In one horrifying moment, he drove into a pram, flinging 6-month-old Teddy Eveson from it — though the baby miraculously escaped injury.

The ordeal ended only after several victims became trapped under the vehicle and a bystander jumped into the moving car to shift it into park, bringing it to a halt.

Police said Doyle had initially planned to contest the charges by claiming he panicked because his windows were smashed when angry crowds confronted him. The case saw 24 additional charges added in August, bringing the total to 31, and involving 29 victims ranging from six months old to people in their late 70s.

Merseyside Police Detective Chief Inspector John Fitzgerald described the incident as unforgettable and said it was “only by sheer luck that nobody was killed”.

Liverpool FC expressed hope that Doyle’s conviction would bring “some peace” to the victims, praising emergency responders whose quick actions “undoubtedly saved lives”.

Doyle remains in custody ahead of his sentencing hearing.