“I’ve Just Ruined My Family’s Life” Quote Reveals Parade Tragedy at Liverpool Title Celebrations

The words came in the back of a police van, moments after joy on Liverpool’s streets had turned to horror. Paul Doyle, the driver at the center of the Water Street rampage, admitted he had “just ruined my family’s life” after plowing a car into crowds celebrating Liverpool’s Premier League title win.

That admission framed a harrowing first day of sentencing at Liverpool Crown Court, where prosecutors laid out how a victory parade meant to mark sporting history became one of the city’s darkest days.

The court heard that Doyle, 54, drove his Ford Galaxy into dense crowds between 5.59pm and 6.01pm on May 26. In that two-minute window, prosecutors say the nearly two-tonne vehicle struck well over 100 people. Doyle has already pleaded guilty to 31 offenses, including dangerous driving, affray, 17 counts of attempting to cause grievous bodily harm with intent, nine counts of causing grievous bodily harm with intent, and three counts of wounding with intent.

The scale of the case is reflected in the victims. The charges relate to 29 people aged from six months to 77 years old. Among them was six-month-old Teddy Eveson, whose parents later said their child was thrown from his pram during the chaos. Doyle admitted attempting to cause grievous bodily harm to the baby. Five other children were also injured or targeted, though they cannot be named for legal reasons.

Prosecutor Paul Greaney KC described a driver whose emotions spiraled out of control. He told the court that dashcam footage showed “a man in a rage, whose anger had completely taken hold of him,” adding that Doyle viewed himself as “the most important person on Dale Street,” expecting everyone else to move aside.

Those words were supported by audio played in court, in which Doyle was heard shouting at pedestrians as he forced his way through the crowd. The footage was shown repeatedly, prompting tears from victims in the public gallery and visible distress from Doyle himself, who lowered his head and closed his eyes as the clips played.

Greaney rejected any suggestion that fear explained the defendant’s actions. Police officers were already present in the area, including a marked van that Doyle passed during the incident. Officers were also seen chasing the vehicle on foot. According to the prosecution, this presented multiple opportunities to stop and seek help. Instead, Doyle continued, even knocking over a female police officer before being brought to a halt.

One moment of intervention stood out amid the chaos. Daniel Barr was described in court as a “hero” after he jumped into the back of the Galaxy and forced the vehicle into park. Barr told police he watched the mood of the parade shift instantly, from “joyful to desperate,” as people were struck and thrown aside. He spent the final 16 seconds of the car’s movement inside the vehicle, helping to prevent further harm.

The prosecution also addressed Doyle’s background and initial intentions. He had come into the city to collect a friend and his family from the celebrations. Greaney noted that this early motivation, described as an act of kindness, only made what followed more staggering. “The truth is a simple one,” he told the court. “Paul Doyle just lost his temper.”

That loss of control, prosecutors argue, is central to understanding both the criminal responsibility and the wider impact of the case. The vehicle, they said, was used as a weapon. The consequences were not only physical injuries on a large scale but also lasting psychological trauma for families who believed they were attending a safe, joyful civic celebration tied to a landmark sporting achievement.

As sentencing continues, the court must now weigh intent, scale, and harm in a case that has shaken Liverpool far beyond the football context that brought crowds together. For a city defined by its passion for the game, the events of that evening have left a permanent scar.

What remains is the question of accountability and consequence. The legal process will determine the length and severity of Doyle’s punishment, but the wider reckoning, for victims and for a city that saw triumph turn to terror, is only just beginning.