Requests for Liverpool parade crash driver’s sentence to be reviewed

The sentence for the driver who ploughed through crowds at Liverpool FC’s victory parade will be considered by the Attorney General’s Office after requests for it be reviewed as being too lenient.

Paul Doyle, 54, was jailed for 21 years and six months on Tuesday after he pleaded guilty to 31 offences relating to the crash on May 26, when 134 supporters were injured as he drove into them on Water Street in the city centre.

Prosecutors said he “lost his temper” and dashcam footage played in court showed shocking moments when he drove directly at men, women and children, while swearing and shouting.

On Wednesday, a spokesman for the Attorney General’s Office said: “We have received several requests for Paul Doyle’s sentence to be considered under the Unduly Lenient Sentence (ULS) scheme.

“The law officers have 28 days from sentencing to carefully consider the case and make a decision.”

The spokesman did not confirm exactly how many requests had been received or where from.

Sentencing him at Liverpool Crown Court on Tuesday, Recorder of Liverpool Judge Andrew Menary KC said: “Your actions caused horror and devastation on a scale not previously encountered by this court.”

He said the “sheer scale of offending” justified a sentence significantly above the ranges for the offences set out in guidelines.

He added: “A proper balance must be struck between the acknowledgement of your multiple and very serious offending and the imposition of a just proportionate sentence.”

Doyle had travelled to the city centre from his home in Croxteth, Liverpool, to collect friends who had been at the parade.

Footage from Dale Street showed his Ford Galaxy swerving into crowds of fans to go down Water Street, which was closed off to traffic.

His car was only brought to a stop when former soldier Dan Barr climbed into the back seat of the automatic vehicle and held the gearstick in park mode.

Doyle, who has previous convictions for violence in the 1990s, including biting a sailor’s ear off, continued to try to accelerate but the car, which had people trapped underneath it by this point, was unable to move further.

The father-of-three pleaded guilty moments before his trial was due to open to dangerous driving, affray, 17 charges of attempting to cause grievous bodily harm (GBH) with intent, nine counts of causing GBH with intent and three counts of wounding with intent.

His victims were aged between six months old and 77.