Paul Doyle told police he ‘just panicked’ in Liverpool parade attack

A man who used his car as a “weapon” to drive into more than 100 people at a victory parade in Liverpool told police he did so out of fear and panic, a court heard.

But prosecutors said these were lies told by Paul Doyle, who became enraged and charged into the crowd on Water Street during the celebrations.

Earlier at Liverpool Crown Court, victims of Doyle’s Water Street attack on May 26 spoke about the terror and injuries they suffered.

Sheree Aldridge, 37, said she thought her younger son, Teddy Eveson, had died when his car was hit by Doyle’s car, sending him flying into the air, and that he thought “he would be next.”

She said: “I felt a terrible pain in my leg and looked up to see Teddy’s pram lying on its side down the road. “I thought my Teddy was dead.

“I thought I was next. I thought my children would grow up without a mother.”

Hers was one of several victim impact statements read before the court; Others described how they suffered “emotional and psychological injury” as well as “frequent flashbacks.”

The 12-year-old boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, said: “I found myself on the ground after being hit by a car that I did not expect was coming, I have never been so scared in my life.”

In her statement, the child’s mother said that her heart was squeezed when she saw her child motionless on the ground.

“The sight of my son lying motionless on the road, not moving for those few seconds, and the sound of the car hitting people will live with me forever,” he said.

Doyle, who was in the back of the police van immediately after the attack, told the officers, “I ruined my family’s life.”

He had previously pleaded guilty to 31 charges of seriously injuring people during a victory parade that saw thousands of Liverpool fans in the city.

Former Royal Marines, of Croxteth, Liverpool changed his defense On the second day of his trial last month.

He admitted dangerous driving, fighting, 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.

Prosecutor Paul Greaney KC said Doyle “used the vehicle as a weapon” and hit more than 100 supporters in two minutes between 17:59 and 18:01 BST as he picked up friends from the parade.

The 54-year-old defendant cried frequently as horrific CCTV and dashcam footage was played to the court on the first day of the two-day sentencing hearing.

In the footage, the attacker can be heard shouting “move” and swearing at the crowd, including hitting a 10-year-old girl.

When a 15-second CCTV clip of the moment his car crashed into Teddy’s pram was played, Mr Greaney described Doyle as an “out of control man”.

Liverpool Honorary Recorder Judge Andrew Menary KC lifted news restrictions that prevented the media from publishing the baby’s name as the parents decided to have their son identified.

Mr Greaney said Teddy escaped “remarkably” without injury.

The names of the other five children Doyle injured or attempted to injure cannot be released for legal reasons.

Other footage shows a man’s car windshield shattering after it fell on him.

Mr Greaney told the court: “The strong implication from the dashcam footage is that the defendant saw himself as the most important person on Dale Street and felt that everyone had to get out of his way to get where he wanted to get.”

He added: “The truth is simple. Paul Doyle lost his temper in his desire to get where he wanted.”

“He angrily entered the crowd and in doing so intended to cause serious harm to people in the crowd.

“He was prepared to inflict serious harm on crowds, even children, if necessary, to achieve his goal of passing.”

He told the court that when Doyle was being interviewed by police he claimed he stopped the car as soon as he realized he had hit someone.

Mr Greaney said: “He could not fail to see the defendant hit a number of people during his journey along Dale Street and Water Street, stopping to reverse and continuing several more times.

“In any case, it was not Paul Doyle’s decision that brought the Galaxy to a halt, but the combination of the number of people trapped under the craft and Daniel Barr’s actions.

Mr Greaney said: “[Barr] He saw the galaxy stretching and hitting people sent flying into the air.

“Suddenly the vehicle stopped right next to him. Daniel Barr instinctively opened the rear passenger door and got in. He did this in an attempt to stop the driver.

“When the car started again, he leaned forward and shifted the gear lever to ‘park’. He held it there as hard as he could. The Galaxy didn’t stop immediately, but it did eventually.”

“However, Daniel Barr explains that even after stopping the vehicle, the defendant continued to keep his foot on the accelerator.

“This claim is supported by other witnesses.”

The hearing will continue on Tuesday morning.