Father-of-three Paul Doyle charged over Liverpool parade crash

A father-of-three and former Royal Marine has been charged following the Liverpool parade crash in which 79 people were injured.

Paul Doyle, 53, from Burghill Road in West Derby, was arrested on Monday, when a car ploughed into fans attending Liverpool’s Premier League victory celebration, Merseyside Police confirmed.

A nine-year-old was among those injured when the car Mr Doyle is alleged to have been driving crashed into supporters at 18:00 BST on Water Street.

The local businessman faces multiple counts of causing, and attempting to cause unlawful and malicious grievous bodily harm with intent as well as one of dangerous driving and two counts of unlawful and malicious wounding with intent.

Assistant Chief Constable Jenny Sims, of Merseyside Police, told a news conference seven people remain in hospital after the incident.

Mr Doyle is set to appear at Liverpool Magistrates’ Court on Friday.

The BBC has spoken to the suspect’s neighbours, who said they were shocked and in “disbelief”.

They said that Burghill Road was swarming with police in the hours after the crash.

One said: “I came out late on Monday night and there’s police everywhere. Looking around all the houses, so I had a thought – imagine if it was him?”

Assistant Chief Constable Jenny Sims said detectives were reviewing a “huge volume” of CCTV and mobile phone footage.

Sarah Hammond, Chief Crown Prosecutor for Crown Prosecution Service in the Mersey-Cheshire region, said this included footage from CCTV, mobile phones, businesses and dashcams, along with witness statements.

She said the charges “will be kept under review” while the investigation progresses.

“It is important to ensure every victim gets the justice they deserve,” she added.

Mr Doyle has been charged with seven offences, which can be broken down into four groups.

The first includes two counts of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm (GBH) – one of these is an alleged offence against one child.

The second is two counts of causing unlawful and malicious GBH with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.

According to the Sentencing Council, it relates to the nature of the injury allegedly caused.

GBH does not require an open wound to have been suffered. Wounding requires the victim’s skin to have been broken.

Mr Doyle also faces two charges of attempted unlawful and malicious GBH with intent to cause GBH, and again one of these alleged offences relates to a child.

The final count is dangerous driving.

Police confirmed the ages of those injured in the incident ranged from nine to 78.

Assistant Chief Constable Sims, said she understood many have questions about the incident, and detectives were “working tirelessly, with diligence and professionalism, to seek the answer to all of those questions”.

“When we are able to, we will provide further information,” she added.