A former Navy reservist has spoken out on a historic incident that placed Doyle in jail previously where his ear was bitten off, chewed up and spat out again by the Liverpool parade attacker
Bradley Jolly Overnight News Editor and Olivia Beeson
04:11, 22 Dec 2025Updated 04:37, 22 Dec 2025
Paul Doyle
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Former Navy reservist explains how Doyle bit his ear off(Image: Merseyside Police)
A former Royal Navy reservist who had his ear bitten off and "chewed up" by Liverpool parade thug Paul Doyle more than 30 years ago has broken his silence. Stuart Lucas said "all hell broke loose" over three decades ago when he stepped in to stop Doyle assaulting younger colleagues.
The altercation erupted at a motorway service station. Lucas explained how the trouble emerged when Doyle decked two young naval ratings with a flying kick when they confronted him about his drunken behaviour.
When Lucas intervened, Doyle turned on him and sunk his teeth into the man's ear. Lucas said to the the Daily Mail : "It was so painful I let go and then when I did let him go, he bit through it, chewed it up and spat it out."
Doyle, 54, was sentenced last week to 21 years and six months in prison for driving into crowds at Liverpool FC's victory parade in the city last May, leaving 130 injured. He admitted dangerous driving, affray and 29 other GBH-related charges in connection with the incident.
After the sentencing, Mr Lucas explained how Doyle, who had drunk a lot of alcohol, kicked off at the sailors at Charnock Richard services on the M6 in Lancashire 31 years ago. Doyle was one of two marines on the bus with 28 sailors being taken to Barry, south Wales to sail the minesweeper HMS Dovey to Glasgow.
The aftermath of the attack
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The aftermath of the attack(Image: Colin Lane/Liverpool Echo)
Lucas said just as prosecutors described in the Liverpool attack court case, Doyle "lost his temper" and his flying kick left two sailors on the floor. Mr Lucas remains disfigured from the incident.
Doyle, then 23, was jailed for a year over the violence after Lucas, a Masters student at Strathclyde University at the time, testified at Preston Crown Court. The now 68-year-old retired teacher said: "It was exceptional I guess; you have two guys on the bus with 28 navy guys and they shouldn't have been trying to take over or cause trouble.
"It was most strange and I couldn't believe it. It was all a bit crazy the way it happened.
"I controlled him till he bit my ear off. He just floored the two of them. He was a pretty fit guy. I think when I came out he didn't see me, I was just a wee one and therefore I could just walk round the back of him while he was focused on the other two and put the bear hug on him."
Lucas served in the Navy for 12 years, acting as leading radio operator before joining the Royal Naval Reserve, which was when the incident in 1994 happened. The East Lothian resident turned down the chance of having his ear rebuilt due to the time it would have taken.
"Speaking of the Liverpool attack, there's your link. Everyone at the parade was all happy and he was the one that was unhappy. And in our little scenario everyone was happy, we were going to earn some money, have a drink going down to do what we do at weekends and then all hell broke loose. And that has never happened before, or since."
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