A former soldier has been hailed a hero after he stopped a car being deliberately driven into crowds during Liverpool's victory parade, an act for which the driver has now been sentenced to more than 21 years in prison.
The Moment of Terror on Water Street
On May 26, former squaddie Dan Barr, 41, was among the 750,000 fans celebrating in Liverpool when the day turned to horror. He was walking up Water Street to meet his brother when he initially enjoyed the "absolutely packed" atmosphere. His perception shifted instantly upon seeing a Ford Galaxy "snaking through" the crowd behind an ambulance. "I remember thinking 'that's not right'," Barr recounted, his military instincts warning him of impending trouble.
As the vehicle, driven by Paul Doyle, passed just five paces away, Barr instinctively ran towards it. He saw a clear path to the car door amidst the chaos. "My intention was to punch the window through," he said, assuming the doors were locked like others trying to get in. At the final moment, he tried the handle, the door opened, and he crawled into the back seat as the car accelerated away.
Crawling Into Chaos to Halt the Carnage
Inside the vehicle, Barr was acutely aware of the horrific scene unfolding. "I can see all the horrendous things going on. It was just like sailing through and there was no resistance at all from the people," he described, feeling the vehicle hit people. His quick thinking led him to the automatic gear stick. "I reached through, and I've pushed it as far as I could, as hard as I could into P which has brought the car to a stop."
Doyle, who was "calmer than what you'd think" and gave off "dad vibes," continued to rev the engine, trying to drive on. Barr kept his hand forced on the gear selector. "He had no chance, he wasn't going to move my arm," Barr stated. He then managed to unclip Doyle's seatbelt with his free hand, which immediately helped subdue the driver.
Aftermath and Justice Served
Following the stop, a distressed fellow fan opened the car door, and Barr, who had lost his glasses and was bleeding from the head, explained "I've just stopped him." He then found his brother and, in a state of shock, went for the pint they had planned. He later expressed regret for not checking for casualties under the vehicle immediately.
On December 16, 2025, Paul Doyle was sentenced at court to 21 years and six months in prison. He had pleaded guilty to 31 offences against 21 adults and eight children, including nine counts of causing grievous bodily harm with intent and 17 of attempted GBH. His own dashcam recorded the incident.
Senior crown prosecutor James Allison said of Barr: "He's a very brave man. He got in the back of that car not knowing what he was getting into. He knew he had to stop that car." Prosecutors confirmed Barr's actions likely prevented further casualties.
Despite being labelled a hero, the modest ex-Royal Engineer, who served eight years including in Iraq, downplayed his actions. "I imagine there's lots of people who'd love to have been in my position and do the same. I don't think it's anything special," he said, adding "I’d do it again."
