In a dramatic courtroom U-turn, Paul Doyle has admitted to deliberately driving his car into a crowd celebrating Liverpool's Premier League title victory, leaving more than 100 people injured.
Courtroom Drama as Pleas Change
The emotional scene unfolded at Liverpool Crown Court where Doyle, a father-of-three, completely reversed his position. Just one day after sobbing through not guilty pleas for some charges, he stood before the court and confessed to all 31 offences against him.
The proceedings took an unexpected turn moments before they were due to begin, when prosecution and defence barristers called for a 20-minute private conference. This prompted intense speculation among the packed courtroom, which included lawyers, press, members of the public, and Doyle's own family.
The Moment of Confession
When the legal teams returned, the recently sworn-in jury of seven men and five women was discharged by Honorary Recorder of Liverpool Judge Andrew Menary KC.
Doyle, wearing the same black suit, white shirt, and grey tie from the previous day, then faced the court clerk as all charges were put to him again. With his greying hair slicked back, he removed his glasses, bowed his head, and burst into tears as he began changing his pleas.
Over the following ten minutes, through flowing tears, the 48-year-old from Croxteth, Merseyside admitted to: nine counts of causing grievous bodily harm with intent, 17 counts of attempting to cause GBH, three counts of wounding with intent, and one count of affray, in addition to dangerous driving.
His emotional state became so pronounced that Judge Menary permitted him to sit down between two dock officers as he continued his confession.
Legal Consequences and Next Steps
The prosecution had been prepared to argue that dashcam footage showed Doyle driving in a rage during the incident on May 26 earlier this year. His defence was expected to claim he panicked when confronted with the massive crowds gathered in Liverpool city centre.
However, these arguments became unnecessary when Doyle changed his pleas ahead of what was scheduled to be a four-week trial.
Judge Menary delivered a sobering warning to the defendant, stating it was "inevitable there will be a custodial sentence of some length and you must prepare yourself for that."
Paul Doyle will return to Liverpool Crown Court on December 15 for further disclosure of evidence and sentencing, where he faces a substantial prison term for his actions during the victory parade celebrations.
