For over thirty years, Paul Doyle appeared to have left his violent past behind him. A married IT professional and father of three, his conviction for biting off a man's ear in a pub fight as a young Royal Marine reservist seemed a distant memory. That facade shattered in seven horrifying minutes in Liverpool city centre, leading to a 21 and a half year prison sentence for an attack that injured more than 130 people.
A Life Unravelled in Moments of Fury
On May 26, during the celebrations for Liverpool's Premier League title win, Doyle's long-buried anger erupted with catastrophic force. The 54-year-old from Croxteth deliberately used his wife's Ford Galaxy 'as a weapon', according to police, accelerating into crowds of supporters, including young children.
Shocking dashcam footage, played in Liverpool Crown Court but deemed too graphic for public release, captured Doyle swearing and yelling at fans to 'f***ing move' as he drove on. People were knocked down 'like skittles' and dragged under the wheels. Heroic intervention from a fan, Dan Barr, who jumped into the moving car and grabbed the gearstick, finally brought the vehicle to a stop 435 yards after the first collision.
A Past of Violence and a Present of Lies
The court heard Doyle had a history of failing to control his temper. He served 12 months in jail in 1993 for the ear-biting assault. His brief military career with 43 Commando ended after less than two years due to violent outbursts, including towards a senior officer.
Despite presenting a 'family man' persona—a fitness fanatic, Scout leader, and successful cyber security consultant—this violence resurfaced. After his arrest, Doyle concocted a story about seeing a knife and panicking. The dashcam audio, where he is heard aggressively shouting and honking his horn while accelerating, utterly disproved this account.
Detective Chief Inspector John Fitzgerald of Merseyside Police stated there was no comprehensible reason for the attack—Doyle was not drunk, on drugs, or having a mental breakdown. 'He just lost his temper,' DCI Fitzgerald said, 'and chose to use his car as a weapon.'
Devastating Consequences and Hollow Remorse
The human cost was immense. Victims ranged in age from six months to 77 years old. One mother described the eternal horror of not knowing if her baby in the pram was alive or dead. Another victim, Francesca Massey, 24, who survived the 2017 Manchester Arena bombing, said the attack brought back 'vivid memories' of that night's terror.
While Doyle sobbed in the dock pleading guilty to dangerous driving, affray, and 29 offences of grievous bodily harm, police do not believe he has shown true remorse. He told arresting officers 'I've ruined my family's life' but focused his defence on shifting blame.
Jailing him, Judge Andrew Menary KC, the Honorary Recorder of Liverpool, said Doyle had displayed 'inexplicable and undiluted fury' and that it was 'almost impossible to comprehend' how anyone could act as he did. The judge acknowledged Doyle was seen as a devoted husband but said those people were 'as bewildered as everyone else' by his actions. Doyle showed no emotion as he was led to the cells.
