A British man who drove his car into crowds celebrating Liverpool’s Premier League title win has pleaded guilty to thirty-one charges, including nine counts of causing grievous bodily harm with intent. Paul Doyle, fifty-three, entered the pleas on Wednesday at Liverpool Crown Court, bringing an abrupt end to what would have been a full trial.
The case stems from a major incident on May twenty-six during Liverpool’s victory parade, when about a million people filled the city center to watch the team’s open-top bus tour. Prosecutors said Doyle deliberately accelerated into supporters, injuring more than one hundred people.
According to the Crown Prosecution Service, dashcam footage captured Doyle becoming visibly agitated before steering his vehicle into the crowd. In total, one hundred thirty-four people were hurt, including eight children.
Doyle wept repeatedly as each charge was read in court. He responded to every count with one word: “Guilty.” The offenses include seventeen counts of attempting to cause grievous bodily harm and dangerous driving. Sentencing is scheduled for next month.
Sarah Hammond, Chief Crown Prosecutor for CPS Mersey-Cheshire, said the attack was intentional rather than impulsive. “Driving a vehicle into a crowd is an act of calculated violence,” she said in a statement. “This was not a momentary lapse by Paul Doyle — it was a choice he made that day and it turned celebration into mayhem.”
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The parade had marked Liverpool’s first Premier League title celebration since the early nineteen nineties, drawing one of the club’s largest gatherings in years. Footage shared at the time showed emergency services rushing through packed streets as supporters scrambled to help the injured before paramedics arrived.
Police arrested Doyle at the scene. Investigators have not publicly discussed a motive, but court documents presented on Wednesday stated that his behavior escalated shortly before he struck the crowd.
Doyle is expected to face a substantial custodial sentence, given the number of victims and the seriousness of the charges. The court said a full assessment of injuries will be included in sentencing submissions.
Authorities are also reviewing security protocols at large-scale public celebrations, though officials have not suggested any direct failings connected to the parade’s planning.