Trial of man accused of Liverpool parade crash to open
Police officers at Water Street in Liverpool, north-west England on May 27, 2025, a day after a car ploughed into crowds that had gathered to watch an open-top bus victory parade for Liverpool's Premier League trophy parade. (File photo: AFP/Paul Ellis)
LONDON: A British man is due to go on trial on Tuesday (Nov 25), accused of driving his car into crowds at Liverpool Football Club's Premier League victory parade in May and injuring dozens of people.
Paul Doyle, 54, has pleaded not guilty to 31 alleged offences, including charges of causing grievous bodily harm with intent, wounding with intent, affray and dangerous driving.
His trial in front of a jury, set to be sworn in on Tuesday, is expected to last three to four weeks.
Doyle, from a suburb of the northwest English city, is accused of driving into people as they were leaving the May 26 victory parade to celebrate Liverpool's victory.
The club had claimed a record-equalling 20th English top-flight title when the Premier League season ended the previous day.
Its players had paraded the trophy along the city's waterfront in front of hundreds of thousands of fans.
Some roads in the area had been closed to normal traffic to allow the parade to pass.
At his first hearing at Liverpool Magistrates' Court on May 30, four days after the incident, prosecutors alleged that Doyle "used his vehicle deliberately as a weapon" and "drove deliberately at people".
Doyle appeared emotional as he wiped away tears in the dock.
Merseyside Police swiftly declared that the incident was not terrorism. But the circumstances behind the alleged attack remain unclear.
The force previously said 134 people - including infants, other children and adults - were injured when Doyle, reportedly a former Royal Marine, allegedly drove his Ford Galaxy Titanium into crowds in Liverpool city centre.
There were no fatalities, but 50 required hospital treatment.
According to initial police information, Doyle allegedly followed an ambulance down the closed Water Street in his Ford Galaxy when police cleared a path for a medical emergency.
Four people, including one child, were trapped under the vehicle, which had to be lifted to remove them, fire services said at the time.
The criminal charges relate to 29 victims, including at least six children. The youngest was six months old at the time.
Some of those set to give evidence will reportedly do so from behind screens.
A father-of-three, Doyle has been in custody since his arrest following the incident that turned a day of joy into a scene of chaos.
He was originally charged with seven offences, but 24 new counts were added to the indictment in August.
On Sep 4, he appeared in court via videolink from prison, wearing glasses and a grey T-shirt, when he entered his not guilty pleas.
Doyle was not required to attend his latest court hearing last week, which finalised preparations for the trial.
