Liverpool parade: Paul Doyle sentenced to 21 years and six months in prison after driving into crowds of celebrating football fans

A man who injured 134 people when he drove a car into crowds at Liverpool's Premier League victory parade has been sentenced to 21 years and six months in prison.

Paul Doyle, 54, was travelling into the city centre from his home in Croxteth, Liverpool, to collect friends at the parade on May 26 when he "lost his temper" and drove his Ford Galaxy directly into supporters making their way home from the celebrations.

Dashcam footage from the vehicle, played in court, showed fans being thrown onto the bonnet of the car or falling underneath as he accelerated down Water Street, which had been closed to traffic, at about 6pm.

Doyle, who could be heard in the footage swearing and shouting at supporters to "move", had initially denied 31 offences.

But last month, moments before the prosecution was due to open his trial, he changed his pleas to admit all the charges.

The former Royal Marine cried as he pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, affray, 17 charges of attempting to cause grievous bodily harm (GBH) with intent, nine counts of causing GBH with intent and three counts of wounding with intent.

The 29 victims named in the indictment ranged in age from six months to 77 years.

Sentencing judge Andrew Menary KC told Doyle he acted in an "inexplicable and undiluted fury" when he ploughed into crowds.

He told Doyle: "It is almost impossible to comprehend how any right-thinking person could act as you did.

"To drive a vehicle into crowds of pedestrians with such persistence and disregard for human life defies ordinary understanding."

The judge added: "Your actions caused horror and devastation on a scale not previously encountered by this court."

During his drive into the city, Doyle undertook other vehicles and ran a red light.

Footage showed the father-of-three driving down Dale Street, appearing not to slow down despite Liverpool fans filling the roads.

His dashcam footage captured him saying "f****** pricks" as people pulled their children out of the way to prevent him hitting them.

When he reached a line of cars turning right, away from Water Street, he paused before swerving into crowds filling the left lane.

Doyle's car was only brought to a stop when fan Dan Barr climbed into the back seat of the automatic vehicle and held the gearstick in park mode.

Doyle, who has previous convictions for violence in the 1990s, continued to try to accelerate but the car, which had people trapped underneath, was unable to move further.

When interviewed, he said he had seen someone with a knife and drove in panic for fear he would be attacked, but police found no evidence from CCTV or witnesses that anyone in the area had a knife.

No defects were found with the car and Doyle was not under the influence of drink or drugs.

James Allison, from the Crown Prosecution Service Mersey-Cheshire, said: "Why did he do it? I think the simple answer is he lost his temper. He went into a rage.

"He just wanted to get down that road, and in trying to get down that road those next couple of minutes probably devastated a lot of people's lives."

Detective chief inspector John Fitzgerald said: "Doyle's total disregard for the safety of others - particularly the many young children present on Dale Street and Water Street that day - is beyond comprehension.

"It is sheer luck that no lives were lost."

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