A man has been charged after 79 people were injured when a car was driven into crowds at Liverpool’s Premier League victory parade on Monday. The 53-year-old man, from Burghill Road, West Derby, Liverpool, has been named as Paul Doyle.
At a press conference shortly after 5.20pm this evening, police said he had been charged with dangerous driving, causing grievous bodily harm with intent, wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and attempting to cause grievous bodily harm with intent.
Police said the defendant would appear at Liverpool Magistrates Court on Friday, May 30. It follows a ‘complex’ operation, police said.
Police said the prosecution is at ‘an early stage’. They are reviewing a ‘huge volume’ of footage and numerous witness statements, police said.
The charges Paul Desmond Sanders Doyle faces in full are:
- Two counts of unlawful and malicious wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm
- Two counts of causing unlawful and malicious grievous bodily harm with intent to cause grievous bodily harm
- Two counts of attempted unlawful and malicious grievous bodily harm with intent to cause grievous bodily harm
- One count of dangerous driving
It comes after police today said a nine-year-old was among those injured when a car was driven into crowds at Liverpool’s victory parade. Officers had until Thursday evening to question the suspect.
Police said the age of the victims ranged from nine to 78. They are all understood to be British.
Merseyside Police said on Wednesday that seven people remained in hospital in a stable condition. Detectives believe the car that hut pedestrians was able to follow an ambulance crew attending to someone suffering a heart attack after a road block was temporarily lifted.
A spokesman for the force said there was a partial closure in place on Dale Street – which leads into Water Street – between North John Street and Exchange Street. The spokesman said traffic was filtered down Exchange Street to stop vehicles getting onto Water Street and a flatbed truck and traffic cones were used as a barrier.
Water Street leads onto The Strand, where hundreds of thousands of fans gathered to see the Liverpool team bus pass during the celebrations over their 20th Premier League victory, just a day after the league season finished.
In related news, a fundraising campaign set up for those affected by the incident has so far raised more than £30,000. That includes a £10,000 donation from the Jamie Carragher 23 Foundation, the former Liverpool defender’s charity.
Organisers say the Liverpool Spirit Appeal was set up by the Community Foundation for Merseyside, in partnership with Liverpool City Council, and Liverpool Charity and Voluntary Services (LCVS). Money raised will be distributed to those experiencing physical or psychological injuries as a result of the incident, as well as to community organisations.
