Briton faces trial over accident at Liverpool champions' parade | OneFootball

A British man is set to go on trial this Tuesday accused of driving his car into crowds at the victory parade of Liverpool in the Premier League in May, injuring dozens of people. Paul Doyle, 54, has pleaded not guilty to 31 alleged crimes, including charges of causing serious bodily harm with intent, wounding with intent, public disorder, and dangerous driving.

His trial before a jury, which is expected to be sworn in this Tuesday, is scheduled to last three to four weeks. Doyle, from a suburb of the northwestern English city, is accused of driving into people leaving the victory parade on May 26 to celebrate Liverpool's title.

The club had won its 20th English top-flight title, equaling the record, when the Premier League season ended the previous day. The players paraded with the trophy along the city's waterfront in front of hundreds of thousands of fans.

Some streets in the area had been closed to normal traffic to allow the parade to pass. At his first hearing at the Liverpool Magistrates' Court on May 30, four days after the incident, prosecutors alleged that Doyle “deliberately used his vehicle as a weapon” and “deliberately drove into people.” The man appeared emotional as he wiped away tears in the dock.

The Merseyside Police quickly declared that the incident was not terrorism-related. However, the circumstances behind the alleged attack remain unclear. The police force previously stated that 134 people — including babies, other children, and adults — were injured when Doyle, allegedly a former British marine, drove his Ford Galaxy Titanium into crowds in central Liverpool.

There were no fatalities, but 50 people required hospital treatment. According to initial police reports, Doyle followed an ambulance down the closed Water Street in his Ford Galaxy when officers cleared the way for a medical emergency. Four people, including a child, were trapped under the vehicle, which had to be lifted to remove them, according to firefighters at the time.

Photo: PAUL ELLIS / AFP

Youngest victim was six months old

The criminal charges concern 29 victims, including at least six children. The youngest was six months old at the time. Some of the people expected to testify will reportedly do so from behind protective screens. A father of three, Doyle has been in custody since his arrest following the incident that turned a day of joy into a scene of chaos.

He was originally charged with seven offenses, but 24 new charges were added to the indictment in August. On September 4, he appeared in court via video link from prison, wearing glasses and a gray t-shirt, when he declared his innocence. Doyle was not required to attend the last hearing last week, which finalized preparations for the trial.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.