Paul Doyle court case
Paul Doyle court case
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Paul Doyle was seen weeping in the dock during his sentencing hearing at Liverpool Crown Court, following an incident that left over 100 people injured during title parade in May.
The 54 year old man, dressed in a black suit, grey tie and white shirt, broke down as Paul Greaney KC, the prosecutor, began outlining the sentencing. Throughout Monday's (December 15) proceedings, Doyle frequently dabbed at his face with a tissue he held in his hand.
Over 30 victims attended the court hearing, with others situated in another room within the building.
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The incident, which occurred shortly after 6pm on Monday, May 26, on Water Street in Liverpool city centre, saw more than 100 pedestrians - from infants to a 78 year old woman - struck by a Ford Galaxy. What was supposed to be a day of celebration quickly descended into scenes of destruction and fear.
In the wake of the horrific event, fifty individuals required hospital treatment, although they were subsequently discharged.
On the day he was scheduled to stand trial at Liverpool Crown Court, a tearful Doyle changed his pleas to guilty. His sentencing is now set to occur over two days, Monday and Tuesday.
Paul Doyle claimed in police interview he had stopped his car as soon as he realised he had struck someone, but prosecution counsel Paul Greaney KC said it is their case that this was untrue.
Paul Doyle, pictured in court sketch from November, attending his sentencing proceedings on Monday (December 15) (Image: PA)
He told Liverpool Crown Court: “The defendant could not have failed to see that he had struck very many people on his journey down Dale Street and Water Street, stopping to reverse and then drive forward a number of times.
“In any event, what brought the Galaxy to a halt was a combination of the number of people trapped beneath the vehicle and the actions of Daniel Barr, not the decision of Paul Doyle – on the contrary, as we have explained, even with people beneath his vehicle, Paul Doyle tried to drive on.”
Mr Kearney added: “By the time his vehicle was brought to a halt, the defendant had driven it into a collision with over one hundred people. Some of them had sustained wounds or grievous bodily harm.
“Others sustained some injury, but, through good fortune, not serious injury. Others narrowly avoided injury altogether by jumping out of the way of the oncoming vehicle, or by being dragged out of the way.
“Very many were placed into a state of terror.”
The hearing continues.
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