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2025 Liverpool parade incident

Coordinates: 53°24′22″N 2°59′37″W / 53.4062°N 2.9935°W / 53.4062; -2.9935
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2025 Liverpool parade incident
CCTV footage of the incident
Location53°24′22″N 2°59′37″W / 53.4062°N 2.9935°W / 53.4062; -2.9935
Water Street, Liverpool, England
Date26 May 2025
6 pm (BST)
WeaponFord Galaxy
Injured130+
PerpetratorPaul Doyle
Charges
  • Dangerous driving
  • Unlawful and malicious wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm (3 counts)
  • Causing unlawful and malicious grievous bodily harm with intent to cause grievous bodily harm (7 counts)
  • Attempted unlawful and malicious grievous bodily harm with intent to cause grievous bodily harm (19 counts)
  • Affray (1 count)
Convicted1
JudgeAndrew Menary KC

On 26 May 2025, a motorist, Paul Doyle, drove a grey Ford Galaxy into a crowd on Water Street in Liverpool, England, during a victory parade celebrating Liverpool Football Club's 2024–25 Premier League title win. Over 130 people were injured; at least fifty were taken to hospital, including four children.

Merseyside Police arrested Doyle at the scene and issued seven charges: 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. He appeared at Liverpool Crown Court on 30 May and was remanded in custody. On 26 November 2025, at the start of his trial, Doyle pleaded guilty to all 31 offences, and on 16 December, he was sentenced to 21 years and 6 months in prison.

Background

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The victory parade on Dale Street

Prior to the incident, locals and supporters of Liverpool F.C. were watching the team's city-wide victory parade to celebrate their victory in the 2024–25 Premier League. An estimated one million people were in attendance.[1] The open-top bus carrying the football club's team and staff members took a 10-mile (16 km) route starting at Allerton Maze and ending at The Strand in the city centre.[2] St John Ambulance were providing event cover for the parade, including 12 ambulances.[3][4] The incident took place 10 minutes after the bus had passed through the area.[5]

Earlier in the day, at 12:34 BST, Doyle had given his friend and his family a lift to the city to watch the parade, in his grey Ford Galaxy.

Later, Doyle was in the city to collect them. At 17:59 BST, Doyle reached "traffic implementation measures" on Dale Street, filtering vehicles to the right. Despite stopping, he shortly continued down the left of Dale Street, driving towards Water Street.[6]

Incident

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Between 17:59 and 18:01 BST, Doyle, having argued with pedestrians, had driven his vehicle into the crowd, causing serious injuries to many people, trapping people beneath the vehicle during the parade.[6][5][7] According to a witness, the vehicle then stopped and people began smashing its windows, but Doyle accelerated again and collided with more people.[8] In footage from Doyle's dash-cam, he was heard shouting "move" and swearing at the crowd, including after a 10-year-old girl was struck.[9] When the vehicle was stationary, some fans attempted to drag Doyle from the vehicle, with him suffering minor injuries whilst being protected by police officers.[6]

By 7 pm a North West Air Ambulance had landed at the scene,[5] and tents were set up nearby.[10] By 9:30 pm North West Ambulance Service said it had cleared the scene.[11] Police eventually identified 79 injured people ranging in age from 9 to 78;[12] at least 50 had been taken to hospital. Three adults and one child had been removed from beneath the vehicle.[5] Police later confirmed an additional thirty injured people, bringing the total to 109.[13] The total number injured was later reported at over 130 people.[14]

Investigation

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Merseyside Police said they had detained a 53-year-old white British man who was from West Derby and that counter-terrorism police were supporting their investigation.[15][16] He was arrested at the scene, and is believed by police to be the driver of the vehicle. Police said they were treating the incident as isolated and not related to terrorism.[5]

Reuters said that police were "unusually quick to give a description of the man they arrested" to head off speculation of a religious motive after riots took place following misinformation spread about the 2024 Southport stabbings.[17] According to Jonathan Hall KC, the government's Independent Reviewer of Terrorism Legislation, the decision should set a precedent for transparency in almost all future incidents.[18]

Merseyside Police said in a press conference at 3:30 pm on 27 May that the man detained had been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder, dangerous driving and driving while unfit through drugs.[5] However, later, it was found that Doyle was neither intoxicated through drink or drugs.[6]

Doyle's vehicle was seized and examined. Vehicle experts found there were no significant defects that would have impacted the control of the vehicle. Footage from the dash-cam in the vehicle demonstrated that Doyle was lucid throughout and did not suffer a medical episode.[6]

Water Street was reopened on the morning of 28 May.[19] The same day police reported they had been given more time to question the suspect.[20] When Doyle was interviewed, he claimed that he acted in a "blind panic" and was "in fear of his life" because of the behaviour of some of the people in the crowd towards him.[6]

Police reviewing CCTV identified the car being driven along Dale Street, which leads into Water Street and was also densely packed with crowds at the time, shortly before the incident on Water Street.[19]

Attacker

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Mugshot of Doyle

On 29 May, the 53-year-old suspect, Paul Doyle, was named by police and was charged with seven offences: 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. He appeared at Liverpool Magistrates' Court on 30 May, but was not asked to enter a plea. He then appeared at Liverpool Crown Court in the afternoon of that day for a hearing before the Recorder of Liverpool, Judge Andrew Menary KC.[21][22] He was remanded in custody.[23]

On 14 August, the accused appeared at Liverpool Crown Court via video-link from custody, where prosecutors filed 24 additional charges. These included 23 counts relating to injuries sustained by victims—among them two infants, for whom the charges included attempted grievous bodily harm with intent—and one count of affray. The prosecution's case was that Doyle had used his vehicle as a weapon, having lost his temper and driven into the crowd in a rage.[6] Defence counsel requested additional time to review the expanded indictment, and no pleas were entered during the hearing.[24] On 4 September, he pleaded not guilty to all charges. He was remanded in custody until the next court hearing on 27 October.[25]

A trial began on 25 November. On 26 November, Doyle changed his plea to guilty on all 31 charges.[26] On 16 December, he was sentenced to 21 years and 6 months in prison.[27]

Reactions

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King Charles III said that the "strength of community spirit for which Liverpool is renowned will be a comfort and support to those in need";[28] the prime minister, Sir Keir Starmer, visited the city to speak with local police chiefs on the afternoon of 28 May.[16] Staff at the Royal Liverpool University Hospital cancelled planned strike action in response;[11] Anne, Princess Royal, visited the injured there on 27 May.[29]

Subsequent events

[edit]

The final person to leave hospital following treatment was discharged on 30 June, having spent 35 days in hospital.[30]

References

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  1. ^ "Witnesses describe Liverpool victory parade car horror". The National. 26 May 2025. Retrieved 26 May 2025. An estimated one million people took to the city's streets for the football club's Victory Parade on Monday.
  2. ^ Ferguson, Angela (28 April 2025). "Liverpool announce Premier League victory parade". BBC News. Retrieved 26 May 2025.
  3. ^ Halliday, Josh; Grierson, Jamie; Gecsoyler, Sammy; Dodd, Vikram (26 May 2025). "Nearly 50 injured after car ploughs into crowd at Liverpool FC victory parade". The Guardian.
  4. ^ https://x.com/sjamerseyside/status/1926879819070894152
  5. ^ a b c d e f "Man arrested over attempted murder as 11 still in hospital after Liverpool crash, police say". BBC News. 26 May 2025. Retrieved 26 May 2025.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g "'I've just ruined my family's life,' Paul Doyle told police after Liverpool parade attack". BBC News. Retrieved 15 December 2025.
  7. ^ Humphries, Jonny (26 May 2025). "Four children injured as car hits Liverpool crowd". BBC News. Retrieved 26 May 2025.
  8. ^ Douglas, Steve; Melley, Brian (26 May 2025). "Man who plowed into a crowd of Liverpool soccer fans acted alone, police say". Associated Press. Retrieved 26 May 2025.
  9. ^ "Paul Doyle 'lied about panicking' in parade attack, court told". BBC News. 15 December 2025.
  10. ^ "Man arrested as car ploughs into pedestrians during Liverpool FC parade injuring dozens". ITV News. 27 May 2025. Retrieved 27 May 2025.
  11. ^ a b "Liverpool parade latest: Suspect arrested for attempted murder, dangerous driving and drug offences after collision". Sky News. 27 May 2025. Retrieved 27 May 2025.
  12. ^ Gawne, Ewan (29 May 2025). "Youngest parade crash victim was nine, say police". BBC News. Retrieved 29 May 2025.
  13. ^ "Police confirm 109 people injured in parade crash". BBC News. 2 June 2025. Retrieved 2 June 2025.
  14. ^ "Paul Doyle: Liverpool parade accused faces 24 new charges". BBC News. 14 August 2025. Retrieved 14 August 2025.
  15. ^ Leake, Natasha (27 May 2025). "Minute-by-minute: How the horror Liverpool parade ramming unfolded". The Telegraph. Archived from the original on 27 May 2025. Retrieved 27 May 2025.
  16. ^ a b Martin, Amy-Clare (30 May 2025). "Man charged after car driven into crowds at Liverpool FC victory parade". The Independent. Retrieved 30 May 2025.
  17. ^ Noble, Phil; Tobin, Sam (27 May 2025). "Car ploughs into fans at Liverpool parade, 27 in hospital". Reuters. Retrieved 27 May 2025.
  18. ^ Mohdin, Aamna; Dodd, Vikram; Syal, Rajeev (27 May 2025). "Police naming Liverpool parade suspect's ethnicity may cause future 'challenges'". The Guardian. Retrieved 30 May 2025.
  19. ^ a b "Liverpool police question suspect as witnesses describe 'mayhem' of parade crash". BBC News. 28 May 2025. Retrieved 28 May 2025.
  20. ^ Barlow, Eleanor (28 May 2025). "Liverpool parade crash: Police granted more time to question suspect as seven 'stable' in hospital". The Standard. Retrieved 29 May 2025.
  21. ^ "Man charged after Liverpool crash is father-of-three, businessman, and former Royal Marine". BBC News. 29 May 2025. Retrieved 29 May 2025.
  22. ^ Humphries, Jonny; Gawne, Ewan (30 May 2025). "Paul Doyle accused of using car as weapon, court told". BBC News. Retrieved 30 May 2025.
  23. ^ "Man appears in court over Liverpool trophy parade incident". Sky News. 30 May 2025. Retrieved 30 May 2025.
  24. ^ Humphries, Jonny (14 August 2025). "Liverpool parade accused faces 24 new charges". BBC News. Liverpool Crown Court. Retrieved 4 September 2025.
  25. ^ "Paul Doyle: Man pleads not guilty after fans struck at Liverpool FC trophy parade". Sky News. 4 September 2025. Retrieved 4 September 2025.
  26. ^ Humphries, Jonny; Hirst, Lauren (26 November 2025). "Paul Doyle pleads guilty to Liverpool parade charges". BBC News. Retrieved 26 November 2025.
  27. ^ "Parade attacker jailed for 21 years and six months". BBC News. 16 December 2025.
  28. ^ Ahmed, Hannah (27 May 2025). "King Charles breaks silence after harrowing Liverpool parade car crash". Birmingham Live. Retrieved 27 May 2025.
  29. ^ "Princess Anne thanks medical staff who treated those injured in Liverpool victory parade". ITV News. 27 May 2025. Retrieved 27 May 2025.
  30. ^ Humphreys, David (30 June 2025). "Final patient being treated after LFC parade crash discharged". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 30 June 2025.
[edit]
Wikinews has related news:
  • Media related to 2025 Liverpool F.C. Premier League trophy parade at Wikimedia Commons
  • "Water Street incident" Press Conference by Merseyside Police, 27 May 2025
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