Road Rage Driver Jailed for 21 Years After Injuring 134 People
Liverpool, UK — A driver who rammed his car into crowds celebrating Liverpool FC’s Premier League title has been sentenced to 21 years and six months in prison, after a judge described the incident as causing “horror and devastation” on an unprecedented scale.
Paul Doyle, 54, admitted to using his vehicle as a weapon during celebrations in Liverpool on May 26, injuring 134 people in less than 10 minutes. The victims included children, elderly spectators and a six-month-old baby who was thrown from a pram but survived without injury.
Judge Condemns “Impatience and Arrogance”
At Liverpool Crown Court, Judge Andrew Menary said Doyle’s actions turned “a day of communal celebration” into a legacy of fear, trauma and permanent injury.
“You ploughed on at speed over a considerable distance, knocking people aside or simply driving over them — person after person,” the judge told the sobbing defendant during sentencing.
Dashcam footage shown in court captured Doyle aggressively sounding his horn, shouting and swearing at fans before accelerating into the crowd. Victim impact statements detailed lasting physical injuries, nightmares and psychological trauma.
Guilty Plea to 31 Charges
Doyle pleaded guilty last month to 31 criminal offences, including:
Causing grievous bodily harm with intent
Wounding with intent
Affray
Dangerous driving
The charges relate to 29 identified victims, aged between six months and 77 years. Prosecutors said Doyle had initially planned to deny responsibility by claiming he panicked, but unexpectedly changed his plea during the second day of his trial.
Seven Minutes of Chaos
Prosecuting lawyer Paul Greaney told the court that Doyle “lost his temper” while attempting to drive through streets packed with fans celebrating Liverpool’s record-equalling 20th English top-flight title.
Over seven minutes, Doyle drove through multiple streets, hitting pedestrians head-on, reversing into others, and even colliding with an ambulance. He only stopped after several people — including children — became trapped beneath the car, and a bystander jumped inside the vehicle and forced it into park.
Despite the scale of the incident, no fatalities were reported, although 50 victims required hospital treatment, according to Merseyside Police. Authorities quickly confirmed the incident was not terrorism.
Background of the Offender
Doyle, a married father of three, had previously worked in IT and cyber security and briefly served in the Royal Marines before being discharged. While described by prosecutors as a “family man,” his past included a violent offence in his 20s, when he was jailed for biting off a man’s ear during a drunken fight.
Merseyside Police Detective Chief Inspector John Fitzgerald described the dashcam footage as “the most distressing and graphic” he had seen in two decades of policing.
“It’s difficult to comprehend how someone can drive over people in a fit of rage just to get where he wants to go,” Fitzgerald said.
