Liverpool parade crash suspect is a former Royal Marine commando
The British father-of-three charged after his car ploughed through a crowd during a Liverpool FC street parade has elite military training, it’s been revealed.
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The British father-of-three charged after ploughing through a crowd of football fans at a Liverpool Football Club street parade has been revealed as an ex-Royal Marine commando.
On Thursday evening (Friday morning AEST), police confirmed Paul Desmond Sanders Doyle, 53, from West Derby, Liverpool, had been charged with seven offences including dangerous driving and unlawful and malicious wounding with the intent of causing grievous bodily harm.
He was arrested at the street parade and questioned for three days by police following incident after he drove his car through a crowd of football supporters, hitting many people and leaving 79 people injured including children.
According to The Sun, Doyle was previously a Royal Marine commando but is now understood to be a businessman who ran a now-dissolved firm.
Social media posts show the 53-year-old competing in triathlons, climbing Kilimanjaro and enjoying holidays to exotic locations.
Neighbours described the suspect as “such a normal Liverpool dad” and a “genuinely pleasant family man”.
One neighbour, who asked not to be named, told The Times: “He was very thoughtful, and would look out for older residents in the street. I really struggle to believe how he could be the [arrested man]. He’s the last person on this street I would have thought would be connected to something like that.
“I feel awfully sorry for the people who were hurt during the parade. But I feel very sorry for his family as well, who always struck me as nice, decent people.”
Other neighbours in his quiet suburb claimed his wife only found out about the crash when she saw the car on the news.
Police have been outside his four-bedroom family home where he lives with his teacher wife and three children since Tuesday.
The carnage unfolded on Monday after thousands of Liverpool fans packed the streets to watch the title winners parade the Premier League trophy on an open-top bus.
It was the first time since 1990 that fans could celebrate a title win with a parade after their 2020 success came during the pandemic.
At a press conference on Thursday, Merseyside Police Assistant Chief Constable Jenny Sims and Chief Crown Prosector Sarah Hammond confirmed details of the charges.
Ms Hammond said it is a “complex and ongoing investigation” and “the investigation is at an early stage” while a huge volume of evidence continues to be reviewed including video footage and witness statements.
Seven people remain in hospital and police previously said the driver of the car tailgated an ambulance that had been given access to drive through the crowd to attend to a person having a suspected heart attack.
A roadblock was temporarily lifted into the restricted area to allow the ambulance into the densely packed area filled with football fans.
“There was no intelligence to suggest an incident of this nature would take place and as we have previously stated the incident is not being treated as terrorism,” Assistant Chief Constable Sims said.
Detective Chief Superintendent Karen Jaundrill said Doyle was arrested after his Ford Galaxy ploughed through the crowds of people celebrating their football heroes in the city’s centre just after 6pm on Monday (3am Tuesday AEST).
He remains in police custody and is due to appear at Liverpool Magistrates’ Court on Friday, May 30.
Water Street where the incident took place and sections of Liverpool’s CBD remained cordoned off and under heavy police guard.
King Charles and Queen Camilla said they were “deeply shocked and saddened” by parade horror as scrutiny remains on how the driver was able to ram his vehicle through the packed crowd.
The King said in a statement: “It is truly devastating to see that what should have been a joyous celebration for so many could end in such distressing circumstances.
“At this heartbreaking time for the people of Liverpool, I know that the strength of community spirit for which your city is renowned will be a comfort and support to those in need”.
The Prince and Princess of Wales also passed on their condolences and said, “what should have been a joyful celebration ended with tragedy”.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the “whole country stands with Liverpool” after celebrating the Liverpool Football Club’s English Premier League victory parade on Monday.
Liverpool fan Sunil Patel, 57, from Leicester, attended the parade and said he was still in shock by what unfolded.
“It should have been a celebration but it turned into a non-celebration, it was very sad,” he told this masthead.
“It left a bad mark”.
Joanne Barnard, 45, her husband Adam, 43, and three sons Zac, 11, Connor, 8, and Max 13, visited the Water Street site on Tuesday where the tragedy unfolded.
“We were first aware when something happened when there were about 10 police vans coming down the street one after another,” she said.
“I went from celebration to ‘oh my god what has just happened’ and thinking about people being hurt, it’s upsetting, it’s just horrible.
“Everyone just wants to know how and why it happened”.
Investigations into the tragedy are ongoing.
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