A British man has been sentenced to 21-and-a-half years in prison for driving his car into a crowd of Liverpool soccer fans. The attack injured more than 130 people.
Paul Doyle, 54, appeared in court on Tuesday. He admitted to 31 criminal charges related to the incident, which occurred during the club’s Premier League victory parade in May.
“A Man in a Rage”
Prosecutors described the attack as an act of uncontrolled anger. Doyle had driven into the city center to pick up friends attending the celebrations. Approximately one million people had gathered to watch the team parade their trophy.
Around 6 p.m., Doyle lost his temper. In a rampage that lasted 77 seconds, he drove his Ford Galaxy into the mass of fans. Witnesses reported that he shouted and sounded his horn while striking both adults and children.
Prosecutors told the court that Doyle was “a man in a rage whose anger had completely taken hold of him.” In total, 134 people were injured, including eight children, turning a joyful day into a scene of horror.
The Victims’ Trauma
The court heard emotional statements from those affected by the crash.
One notable victim was Anna Bilonozhenko, a refugee who fled the war in Ukraine in 2024. She hoped to find safety in Britain but required surgery for a fractured knee after Doyle struck her.
“We came to this country because of the war in our homeland, hoping to finally feel safe,” she wrote in a statement. “At first we did, but now that feeling has been taken away.”
Other victims described long-term psychological and physical effects. Some stated they are unable to work, care for their families, or attend crowded events since the attack.
Brave Bystander Ends the Chaos
The rampage only ended due to the quick actions of Daniel Barr.
Barr, a former soldier, jumped into the moving vehicle and forced it into park. Judge Andrew Menary praised Barr’s actions as “outstandingly brave.” He noted that Barr likely saved lives and prevented further catastrophic injuries.
While prosecutors hailed him as a “hero,” Barr remained humble. In an interview before the sentencing, he insisted he was simply doing what others around him were trying to do.
Sentencing and Defense
Doyle briefly served in the Royal Marines in the early 1990s before being discharged. He pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including causing grievous bodily harm with intent.
His lawyer, Simon Csoka, argued that Doyle was “remorseful, ashamed, and deeply sorry.” He presented character references describing the violence as uncharacteristic of the man Doyle had become in recent years.
However, Judge Menary remained unmoved by the defense.
“It is almost impossible to comprehend how any right-thinking person could act as you did,” the judge said. “To drive a vehicle into crowds of pedestrians with such persistence… defies ordinary understanding.”
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