Liverpool parade victims inform Paul Doyle ‘do not cry for your self’ forward of his sentencing: Live updates

Victims of the Liverpool parade attack have told Paul Doyle ‘don’t sit in the dock and cry for yourself’ on the second and final day of his sentencing.

Susan Farrell, speaking on behalf of herself and her husband, Colin, said they had missed funerals because of fear of travelling following the incident in May.

In a powerful statement, Mrs Farrell said her teacher daughter who was with them ‘still experiences the fear we felt that day, believing we were under attack, that you would emerge with a weapon’.

‘I remember one man lying motionless, and my daughter screaming, asking if he was dead. I feel guilt that I didn’t stop to help. Colin feels guilt that he didn’t confront you. We were just trying to protect our children.

‘There are hundreds of people affected by your actions. I want you to think about them all. Don’t sit in the dock and cry for yourself.

‘Think about my youngest daughter who had to stand in front of her class and talk about her trip to Liverpool after you drove a car at her. She was brave. She is brave. Now you be brave and take accountability for what you did.

A mother has told the court how she feels unable to return to Liverpool city centre following the parade attack.

In her victim impact statement, Paula Woodruff, 49, said:

The thought of ever being able to cope with attending another celebration event of football crowd is unbearable now. I don’t know when I’ll be able to overcome this and return to our city.

‘Now all I feel is guilt. Guilt over my son being present that day. Guilt over his memories being taken and overshadowed by what happened next… Guilt that my son could be dead, all because I took him to see his heroes.

Julie Pugh, 61, said: ‘My initial reaction to the incident was fear and panic as I fell, and people fell and stood on top of me.

‘I was in total shock at what I could see around me.

‘A baby lying on the ground close to me, a child sitting on the kerb with his head bleeding and a man lying in the road clearly very injured.’

The judge has now entered court and proceedings are underway.

We can expect to hear more victim impact statements this morning before we hear Doyle’s mitigation with sentencing expected to be handed down this afternoon.

Survivors of the Liverpool victory parade attack last May have assembled in court for the second day of Paul Doyle’s sentencing.

Scores more victims are gathered in a second overspill courtroom ready to watch proceedings over a live video stream.

Once the judge, Andrew Menary KC, The Honorary Recorder of Liverpool, has taken his seat, the court is expected to hear more extracts from moving statements given by victims on the devastating impact of Doyle’s rampage.
Later Paul Greaney KC has said he will go through Doyle’s previous convictions before his barrister, Simon Csoka KC, makes submissions in mitigation.

Mr Csoka has previously said that character evidence would be presented, after which the judge will tell Doyle how long he must serve behind bars.

Judge Menary has already told Doyle a ‘custodial sentence of some length’ was ‘plainly inevitable’.

One Liverpool fan told the court how the parade attack had affected him watching Liverpool.

Alan Spain, 26, said he had been watching Liverpool play since he was six.

But matches are now ‘tainted’ because seeing fans clad in red makes him feel like he’s back at the scene of the attack.

‘Every time Liverpool score and I see the fans in the Kop jump and cheer and celebrate, I end up on Water Street,’ he said.

‘Because that’s what the crowd were doing.

‘Everyone was cheering and celebrating, and everyone was in a joyous mood. Everyone was there to have fun.

‘And that was ruined.’

Paul Doyle wept in the dock yesterday as footage of the horrific rampage was shown to Liverpool Crown Court.

Dashcam video was displayed to the court on the first day of his sentencing hearing, with the defendant heard shouting ‘move’, ‘f***ing p****s’ and ‘get out the f****** way’.

Pedestrians pulled their children out of the path of Doyle’s car to stop them being hit, and the footage showed the windscreen smash after a man landed on it.

Doyle cried as the footage was shown to the court, putting his head down and shutting his eyes as the footage showed his car hitting crowds of supporters.

His sentencing hearing was told the 54-year-old, described as a ‘family man’ by prosecutors, was ‘in a rage’ and his ‘anger had completely taken hold of him’.

Prosecutor Philip Astbury yesterday read out extracts from some of the victims’ personal statements.

• Jack Trotter

Then 23, Mr Trotter said he needed help to shower and dress due to his injuries, making him reliant on his fiancée.

‘Learning to walk again has been a long and often painful process.’

He was ‘unable to do all the normal things a father and son should be able to’ with his three-year-old boy, ‘like throwing him in the air, playing football.’

• Scott Dolan

The 36-year-old said he suffers ‘flashbacks’ and is reluctant to travel to Liverpool city centre.

He was off work for two months and his girlfriend had to help him dress and wash.

‘I feel like I’ve lost months of my life not being able to do things I love to do, going to the football, playing table tennis, going for walks and going out socially with friends and family.’

• Jessica Fawcett

The 21-year-old said she still has ‘trouble walking’ and was forced to quit her nursery job as a result.

‘I no longer feel safe near cars or roads,’ she added.

‘I have become isolated, and I feel consistently down and fed up.’

‘I have just ruined my family’s life.’

Those were the words of Paul Doyle moments after he got into his car and mowed down dozens of celebrating Liverpool fans.

The city’s crown court on Monday heard how the ‘family man’ ex-Marine had reacted in the minutes after the crash – as innocent people lay injured on the road.

The court also heard from survivors who told of the horror that day – and how it’s impacted them since.

Among the harrowing accounts was that of a 12-year-old boy who was at the parade with his mother watching idols including Mohamed Salah showing off the Premier League trophy.

Read James Tozer’s report on the first day of Paul Doyle’s sentencing:

Paul Doyle pleaded guilty to all 31 charges against him on the first day of his trial at Liverpool Crown Court last month.

The former marine previously denied all offences after 134 people were injured when a car was driven into crowds at Liverpool Football Club’s Premier League victory parade.

Here are all the charges Doyle has now admitted:

• Affray
• Dangerous driving
• 17 x Attempting to cause GBH with intent
• 9 x Causing GBH with intent
• 3x Wounding with intent

Hello and welcome to our live coverage of Paul Doyle’s sentencing at Liverpool Crown Court over his attack during Liverpool’s Premier League title victory celebrations.

Doyle, a former marine, used a car as a ‘weapon’ to plough through more than 100 people celebrating the club’s triumph in the city centre on May 26 this year.

Yesterday, Liverpool Crown Court heard the 54-year-old was ‘in a rage’ and his ‘anger had completely taken hold of him’ during the rampage which saw parents desperately pull children out of the path of his vehicle

Doyle has already pleaded guilty to 31 offences including dangerous driving and multiple counts of causing GBH with intent.

Stick with us for the latest updates with James Tozer reporting from Liverpool Crown Court and Jamie Bullen in London.