U.K. police charge 53-year-old man over Liverpool soccer parade crash that wounded dozens
The British motorist accused of plowing a vehicle into a soccer victory parade in downtown Liverpool and injuring some 79 people was hit Thursday with seven criminal charges.
Paul Doyle, 53, was charged just three days after Monday’s mayhem marred the celebration of the Liverpool Football Club’s English Premier League title win.
Doyle, who lives in the West Derby section of Liverpool, is scheduled to appear before a judge on Friday, Merseyside Police Assistant Chief Constable Jenny Sims said during a press conference covered by The Liverpool Echo.
Sims also confirmed that seven of the people who were injured on Monday remain hospitalized.
“I hope that all of those who were injured, or witnessed this terrible incident are able — given time — to heal and recover,” Sims said.
Doyle is charged with one count of dangerous driving, two counts of unlawful and malicious wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, two counts of causing unlawful and malicious grievous bodily harm with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and two counts of attempted unlawful and malicious grievous bodily harm with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.
Initially, Doyle was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder, dangerous driving and driving while under the influence of drugs.
“It is important to ensure that every victim gets justice they deserve,” Chief Crown Prosecutor for CPS Mersey-Cheshire Sarah Hammond said at the press conference where Doyle’s name was revealed. “Monday’s scenes reverberated around Liverpool and the country on that day of celebration.”
Much of Liverpool was celebrating when, according to police, Doyle drove a Ford Galaxy into a crowd or revelers, pinning several beneath the wheels after it finally came to a halt.
Describing it as a “major incident,” Merseyside police quickly released a statement identifying the suspect as “white, British and from the Liverpool area.”
Police also ruled out terrorism and insisted it was an isolated incident, but did not divulge any details about why the vehicle sped into the crowd.
The BBC reported that Doyle was charged after 70 hours of questioning.
“The investigation is at an early stage,” Hammond said. “Prosecutors and police are continuing to work at pace to review a huge volume of evidence. This includes multiple pieces of video footage and numerous witness statements.”
Some of that footage was shared on social media minutes after the vehicle struck the crowd.
Footage verified by NBC News showed angry fans kicking the vehicle and trying to tear open the doors to get at the driver.
The vehicle could later be seen speeding up and driving through the crowd, knocking down a number of pedestrians, before it lurched forward again, leaving more people lying on the asphalt.
Doyle, according to his LinkedIn profile, is an IT specialist who served in the Royal Marines from 1990 to 1994. Local media said he was also a married father of three teenagers.
“Neighbours described him as ‘such a normal Liverpool dad’ and a ‘genuinely pleasant family man’,” The Times of London reported. “When police arrived at his house late on Monday night, the neighbours said they assumed there had been a burglary.”