More than 100 pedestrians, aged between six months and 78, were injured when a car collided with fans in Liverpool city centre
First picture of Paul Doyle, 53, of Burghill Road in West Derby
Paul Doyle(Image: Facebook)
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A judge has issued the jury in the trial of Paul Doyle with a set of "strict rules" which they will be required to follow during the case. The 54-year-old, of Burghill Road in West Derby, faces a series of alleged offences after a car was driven into crowds of fans during Liverpool FC's Premier League title celebrations in Liverpool city centre.
More than 100 pedestrians, ranging from children to a 78-year-old woman, were injured after being struck by a Ford Galaxy on Water Street shortly after 6pm on May 26 this year, with 50 people requiring hospital treatment. They were later discharged from hospital.
Doyle's trial began at Liverpool Crown Court this morning, Tuesday, with Paul Greaney KC, prosecuting, having asked for the indictment to be amended in relation to four of the counts he faces. In count six, the charge of causing an 11-year-old boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, grievous bodily harm with intent was amended to an allegation of attempting to cause grievous bodily harm with intent.
Count 21, which accused Doyle of causing a 12-year-old boy grievous harm with intent, was meanwhile altered to an offence of wounding with intent. And counts 24 and 25, which had been matters of attempting to cause Hannah O’Neill and Stefan Dettlaf grievous bodily harm with intent, are now charged as causing grievous bodily harm with intent.
Appearing in the dock wearing a black suit over a white shirt and grey tie and sporting glasses, with his greying hair slicked back, Doyle was arraigned on these amended charges. He then wiped away tears as he pleaded not guilty to the four counts.
With a jury of seven men and five women having been selected from a panel of 33, alongside two reserves who will hear the prosecution's opening on Wednesday, the Honorary Recorder of Liverpool Judge Andrew Menary KC told them: "You have each been selected to serve as jurors in this case. When a jury summons is issued, people have little choice to answer it.
"Our criminal justice system depends on members of the public being willing to give up time, to step away from their routines, attend court, listen attentively to the evidence and legal directions and ultimately reach fair decisions about their fellow citizens. It is the best and fairest method we have for deciding the outcomes of trials.
"This case concerns allegations arising from events connected to Mr Doyle's alleged conduct at the Liverpool Football Club parade. The incident, as you may already be aware, occurred in a busy city centre setting and has been the subject of public attention. For that reason, it is especially important for each of you to keep strictly to the rules I am about to outline.
"Your decision in this case must be solely based on the evidence that you see and hear in this courtroom. Nothing else forms part of this case. The oaths or affirmations you have sworn mean that you must not take into account anything other than the evidence in arriving at your decision.
"You must not carry out enquiries or research. This includes online research or investigation of the background of the defendant Mr Doyle or any of the lawyers, witnesses or locations involved.
"It is now a criminal offence for a juror to intentionally seek information relevant to the case from any sources outside of the trial in this courtroom. Do not let your inquisitiveness get the better of you. You will understand why you cannot do that. The internet is a great resource, but it is also full of complete rubbish as well.
"You, of course, must discuss the case with each other. You can do that as the case is going on. Please do not discuss any aspect outside of the 12 of you. Only discuss it when you are all together in the privacy of your jury room.
"That prohibition applies to your friends and families and colleagues, and anybody else. If you were to discuss the case with someone outside of the 12 of you, the risk is that they would express a view about it.
"Of course, they have not seen all of the evidence. They have not heard or seen what people are saying, or the footage. They will only have a small part of the story. You take into account all of the evidence. It is your decision, not anybody else's.
"When the case is all over, you can tell other people a bit about your experience. You must never reveal your final discussions, your final reasons for arriving at verdicts in the case. Please do not use any type of social media to tell the world that you are on jury service or communicate with anybody else about the case. Doing that could potentially amount to contempt of court, and you could enter really serious trouble.
"In this particular case, it is likely that you will see press reporting about the trial as it proceeds. We hope, and I am confident, that such reporting will be accurate. You must not allow any media report to influence your thinking. If you do come across a report inadvertently, you must put it completely out of your mind and rely only on what you see and hear in this courtroom. Do not go looking for reports about this case.
"Please keep an open mind throughout the trial. Wait until you have heard all of the evidence. Then, and only then, begin to reach fixed conclusions about the evidence and what you are sure happened.
"If anything happens at all which makes you feel uncomfortable, for example, someone approaches you to speak about the case, or if one of you was behaving in a way which you thought was inappropriate or wrong, please report the matter immediately. Please do not leave it until the case is all over. It might all be too late by then."
Doyle denies a total of 31 charges, including 17 counts of attempting to cause grievous bodily harm with intent. The complainants in these matters have been named as six-month-old Teddy Eveson, other boys and girls aged seven months, 10, 11, 13, who cannot be named for legal reasons, as well as adults Jack Trotter, Jon Evans, Scott Dolan, Ashton Gilmore, Jacqueline McClaren, Jamie Fagan, Carl Martin, James Vernon, Emily Wright, David Price, James Weston and Ethan Gillard.
A further nine offences allege that he caused grievous bodily harm with intent to Helen Gilmore, Anna Bilonozhenko, Sheree Aldridge, Sam Alexander, Hannah O’Neill, Stefan Dettlaf, Christine Seeckts, Susan Passey and Aaron Cothliff. He also faces three matters of wounding with intent against a 12-year-old boy, Simon Nash and Robin Darke.
Doyle, who is represented by Simon Csoka KC and Damian Nolan, has similarly pleaded not guilty to affray and dangerous driving. The trial, before the Honorary Recorder of Liverpool Judge Andrew Menary KC, continues, and is expected to last for three to four weeks.