A father of three, aged 53, who has been charged following an incident where a car collided with crowds at the Liverpool parade, causing injuries to 79 people, has been identified as a former Royal Marine commando.
Football fans were celebrating the team`s Premier League victory when a vehicle drove into the gathered crowds on Monday afternoon.
Paul Doyle, from the West Derby area of Liverpool, was apprehended after the vehicle seemingly stopped, prompting courageous supporters to try and break its windows.
The 53-year-old now faces charges including dangerous driving, causing grievous bodily harm with intent, wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, and attempted grievous bodily harm.
Doyle remains in custody and is scheduled to appear at Liverpool Magistrates’ Court today.
These charges follow Merseyside Police`s statement that they quickly dismissed terrorism as a potential motive for the incident.
Sarah Hammond, Chief Crown Prosecutor for CPS Mersey-Cheshire, commented that the investigation is in its early stages, with prosecutors and police actively reviewing substantial evidence, including video footage and witness testimonies. She emphasized the commitment to ensuring justice for all victims, noting that the charges may be updated as the investigation proceeds. Hammond acknowledged the widespread impact of the events, stating, “We know Monday’s shocking scenes reverberated around the city of Liverpool, and the entire country, on what should have been a day of celebration for hundreds of thousands of Liverpool FC supporters. Our thoughts remain with all those affected.”
Doyle, a former Royal Marine commando, is reportedly now a businessman whose company is no longer active.
He is said to have previously participated in triathlons and taken luxurious holidays.
According to neighbours in his quiet suburban area, his wife reportedly learned of the crash only after seeing the vehicle on the news.
Police have maintained a presence outside his four-bedroom family home, where he resides with his wife, a teacher, and their three children, since Monday.
The chaotic events unfolded on Monday as thousands of Liverpool supporters filled the streets to witness the Premier League champions parade their trophy on an open-top bus.
This parade marked the first opportunity since 1990 for fans to celebrate a league title win with a public parade, as their previous success in 2020 occurred during the pandemic.
However, the celebratory mood abruptly changed to horror when a dark grey Ford Galaxy unexpectedly appeared on Water Street.
Merseyside Police confirmed that the car had followed an ambulance past the police cordon, which was in place because medics were attending to someone with a suspected heart attack.
Mobile phone videos depicted the vehicle driving into the crowd, accompanied by the sound of screams.
The car then stopped, and courageous fans quickly approached, attempting to pull the driver out.
Nevertheless, the vehicle suddenly moved forward again, causing pedestrians to scatter, before finally stopping completely.
Firefighters arrived at the scene and found four individuals, including a child, trapped beneath the vehicle, whom they promptly worked to rescue.
Approximately 79 people were taken to the hospital, with two individuals, including a child, sustaining serious injuries.
Police confirmed on Wednesday that seven people remain hospitalized in a stable condition.
Harry Rashid, 48, who was present at the parade with his wife and two young daughters, recounted:
“It happened about ten feet from us. We had no control over our location because the street was very narrow. The vehicle came towards us from the right. It appeared right beside a parked ambulance. It drove up from the right and crashed into everyone beside us. It was fast. The noise was terrifying.”
Merseyside Police reiterated that the incident was not being investigated as a terror attack and stated that the driver is a white British man.
Sir Keir Starmer also issued a statement, saying:
“The scenes in Liverpool are appalling – my thoughts are with all those injured or affected. I want to thank the police and emergency services for their swift and ongoing response to this shocking incident. I`m being kept updated on developments and ask that we give the police the space they need to investigate.”
Meanwhile, Liverpool FC issued a statement:
“We are in direct contact with Merseyside Police regarding the incident on Water Street which happened towards the end of the trophy parade earlier this evening. Our thoughts and prayers are with those who have been affected by this serious incident. We will continue to offer our full support to the emergency services and local authorities who are dealing with this incident.”
