Paul Doyle was seen chatting to neighbours and doing some gardening just hours before he ploughed into a crowd of Liverpool fans, causing 134 injuries in the violent act
Paul Doyle
Paul Doyle was described as a 'family man' before he drove into a crowd of pedestrians
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A man dubbed the "nice neighbour" on his street ploughed his two-tonne Ford Galaxy car into a crowd of pedestrians just hours after doing some gardening and chatting with neighbours.
Paul Doyle, 54, injured 134 people hours later in what has been described as an "act of calculated violence". The injured victims included babies, children and the elderly who had been out watching Liverpool FC's victory parade. Now, the former Royal Marines Commando turned cyber security expert is facing a lengthy prison sentence.
Doyle changed his plea to guilty at Liverpool Crown Court, admitting multiple counts of causing and attempting to cause grievous bodily harm with intent. According to those who knew the "family man", Doyle was a big fan of running and cycling, shunning any drug or alcohol use.
Paul Doyle
Doyle had been chatting with neighbours just hours before the carnage unfolded
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He was said to regularly stop for chats in the street as he walked his dog around the quiet Croxteth cul-de-sac where Doyle moved in with his wife Alison, a local teacher, and three sons about 10 years ago. Residents were said to be in shock at how he could cause such violence on May 26.
"He had been out in the front garden all that morning messing with the trees, he was always out gardening," one woman living nearby told the BBC. "He genuinely seemed like a nice man."
Asked if anything seemed unusual with his demeanor that morning, she said: "Nothing at all." Neighbours in Burghill Road said they recognised the Ford Galaxy Titanium on the news after footage of the chaos on Water Street began to filter through.
"I couldn't believe it", one said. "I didn't want to watch. I think maybe he panicked?"
Paul Doyle
Doyle will be sentenced later this month
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One man said: "His wife had come out the next morning and one of our other neighbours asked her 'was that your car?'
"She burst into tears and said 'yes', and you didn't really see her after that. I feel sorry for them, it's not their fault and it's ruined their lives."
One of Doyle's former work colleagues who met him while they worked for an IT firm in Merseyside around 13 years ago said they bonded over their shared military background. He described Doyle as a "mentor", adding "he was a great teacher".
In total Doyle admitted 31 offences, including 17 of attempting to cause grievous bodily harm, nine of causing grievous bodily harm with intent, three of wounding with intent, one of dangerous driving and one of affray.
The charges related to 29 victims, aged from six-month-old Teddy Eveson to 77-year-old Susan Passey. The court heard that dashcam footage from Doyle's Ford Galaxy played a crucial role in the prosecution's case.
It showed the driver becoming "increasingly agitated" by the crowds celebrating Liverpool FC's Premier League title win, before he drove into them.
More than 130 people reported injuries after the car collided with crowds just after 6pm on May 26. Police said it was "sheer luck" that nobody was killed, with Det Ch Insp John Fitzgerald, from Merseyside Police, adding: "His driving, even before he reached Dale Street, was aggressive and dangerous and he was seen to undertake vehicles, jump lanes and run through a red light."
Sentencing will take place on 15 December.