In a significant development this week, Paul Doyle changed his plea to guilty for the horrific attack during Liverpool's victory parade last May. While the legal process moves forward, the focus now shifts to the dozens of pedestrians whose lives were shattered in moments of unimaginable terror.
A Day of Celebration Turns to Carnage
On 26 May 2025, jubilant crowds gathered on Dale Street and Water Street in Liverpool city centre to celebrate their football team's success. Amid the festivities, Paul Doyle, then 53, was captured on dashcam footage appearing increasingly agitated before deliberately driving his Ford Galaxy into the packed crowds.
The vehicle travelled for approximately 50 metres through the throng, leaving a scene of devastation in its wake. Over 100 people were injured, including eight children, with many suffering broken bones and other severe, painful injuries.
Families Grapple with Lasting Scars
The psychological impact on survivors has been profound. Speaking to BBC News, Nick Osborne from Weston-super-Mare described the "absolute state of panic" he felt upon receiving a call from his 17-year-old son, Mason, who was at the parade.
"He was in floods of tears saying, 'I think there's been a terror attack'," Nick recalled. "The signal cut out, and we couldn't get hold of him." Mason, now 18, was struck on the thigh with such force it pushed him aside. His injury, initially feared to be a broken femur, was later diagnosed as a burst blood vessel, forcing the keen footballer to abandon training for two months.
Nick revealed the incident has left lasting emotional scars, with Mason experiencing sleepless nights and anxiety, particularly during a subsequent trip to Paris which coincided with another major football final. "He puts a big bravado on it, but he has dealt with it really well," his father said.
Life-Changing Injuries and a Miraculous Escape
For 62-year-old Rob Darke, what began as a "fantastic day" with his sons turned into a nightmare. As he stepped off the pavement, Doyle's car wheel crushed his foot, tearing the skin from his heel.
"I thought it was terrorists. That's the first thing that came into my head," Rob told Sky News. Describing the scene as "carnage everywhere" with people "lying about all over the place", he was rushed to A&E in excruciating pain. The injury was so severe doctors warned it was a matter of "life or limb".
Rob spent the next three months in a wheelchair and has since required counselling for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). "Out of one-and-a-half million people, why did it have to be me?" he asked heartbreakingly.
In a miraculous escape, the youngest victim, five-month-old Teddy Eveson, was thrown 15 feet down the road in his pram but survived without serious injury. His father, Daniel Eveson, 36, recounted the horrifying moment the pram was ripped from his hands as he tried to shield his family.
"I thought we were all going to die," Daniel said through tears. His fiancée, Sheree Aldridge, was thrown onto the bonnet and then under the vehicle, suffering muscle and tissue damage. "He's our miracle. He's 'Super Ted'," Daniel said of his son. "I can't believe we've still got him."
The Long Road to Recovery and Justice
Following Doyle's guilty plea, victims' representatives have spoken of the ongoing ordeal. Chantal Rabbetts, director of serious injury at Bond Turner, which represents some of those affected, stated: "The high-profile nature of this case and the severity of their injuries mean that our clients are having to re-live the events of May 2025 every single day."
While relieved that a trial will not force them through weeks of public scrutiny, survivors are left with unanswered questions about Doyle's motives. Paul Doyle, now 54, is expected to receive a substantial prison sentence when he is sentenced.
For now, the focus remains on rehabilitation. "We have been able to put rehabilitation support in place for our clients so we can continue to help them on their road to recovery," Ms Rabbetts confirmed. For the many whose lives were irrevocably changed on a sunny day in May, that road will be a long and challenging one.
