Latest news with #LiverpoolCrownCourt
Sky News
11 hours ago
- General
- Sky News
Liverpool victory parade incident: Number of people injured rises to more than 100
The number of people reported injured in the Liverpool victory parade incident has risen to more than 100, police say. Four people are still in hospital after a car was driven into a crowd on Water Street in the city centre last Monday. Merseyside Police have said 109 people were reported injured in the collision at Liverpool FC's Premier League trophy parade. Police had previously said 79 people had been injured. They had also said that the youngest victim was aged nine, and the oldest was a 78-year-old. Paul Doyle, 53, has been charged with seven offences and appeared in court on Friday. Doyle, from the West Derby area of Liverpool, is accused of two counts of unlawful and malicious wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, and two counts of causing unlawful and malicious grievous bodily harm with intent to cause grievous bodily harm. The father-of-three is also accused of two counts of attempted unlawful and malicious grievous bodily harm with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, and one count of dangerous driving. The charges relate to six people, including two children. Doyle was remanded in custody at Liverpool Crown Court last Friday and is due to appear for a plea hearing on 14 August. Specialist officers are supporting those who have been injured, including their families, police say. In a statement on Monday, Detective Superintendent Rachel Wilson said: "This is a complex and constantly evolving investigation, and we are still working through and assessing those reporting being injured, and our enquiries remain ongoing." She added: "We have had more than 500 submissions to the Major Incident Police Portal (MIPP), and a team of detectives are currently working through the information provided.
Daily Mirror
a day ago
- Daily Mirror
Woman said 5 tragic last words to childhood sweetheart as she died on roadside
Christine Jones, 68, suffered fatal injuries a car crash in Thornton Hough, Merseyside - after the accident she asked her husband of nearly 50 years not to let her die A woman said five heartbreaking final words to her childhood sweetheart as she died on the side of the road, a court heard. Christine Jones, 68, was in the passenger seat of a car when it was struck by another vehicle in Thornton Hough, Merseyside. Despite suffering injuries, the great-grandmother was able to reach into her handbag and retrieve her mobile in order to call her husband of nearly 50 years. He then rushed to the scene and kissed and held hands with his wife as she told him: "Please don't let me die." Ian Ashworth, an armed force veteran whose car veered into their path and caused the head-on smash, has been spared an immediate prison sentence over the accident. Liverpool Crown Court heard this week that 81-year-old Bryn Jones was driving his Ford Fiesta along the two-lane carriageway in the direction of Thornton Hough at around 9pm on August 14, 2023 with his stepdaughter, Mrs Jones, as his front seat passenger. The two had been returning home from Arrowe Park Hospital, where his long-term partner and her mother, Brenda Jones, had been admitted as an inpatient. Eric Lamb, prosecuting, described how Ashworth, of New Heyes in Neston, was meanwhile travelling in the opposite direction in his Peugeot 3008 at the same time. The following collision was not caught on camera or witnessed by any other persons, while both motorists have "no recollection" of the event, the Liverpool Echo reports. However due to markings left by the vehicles on the road surface, investigators concluded that the 62-year-old defendant's vehicle had "crossed the central divide into the oncoming carriageway," resulting in an impact to the front off-side of both cars. The court heard Mrs Jones was able to exit the vehicle following the crash. But the mum-of-five, nan-of-11 and great grandma-of-three died in hospital three days later due to "severe chest and abdominal injuries." In a statement that was read to the court on their behalf, her children detailed how they and other relatives arrived at the scene before the emergency services after being informed of the crash and said: "We replay every moment in our heads like a slideshow. The constant images are a cruel reminder. "We still expect to wake up and learn that this was all a dream. Just knowing how scared she would have been and the pain she would have felt consumes our minds every day. Mum was our laughter and our constant. She was the first person we called with good news or bad news." Ashworth admitted causing death by careless driving and causing serious injury by careless driving. Appearing in the dock wearing a black suit over a white shirt and a tie emblazoned with a military crest on Wednesday, he showed no reaction as he was handed a 12-month imprisonment suspended for 18 months with a rehabilitation activity requirement of up to 10 days. Sentencing, Judge Robert Trevor-Jones said: "I would like to state at the outset that this is a truly tragic case. A life has been lost and another gravely affected. No sentence I can pass today could ever reflect such loss for the victim and their families. To them, I express my utmost sympathy. "Naturally, questions arise. Why? How? The fact is that very little is known. You have no recollection of what happened. I accept that. Neither does Mr Bryn Jones. "There is no evidence of a loss of control. There were no deficiencies with either vehicle. No one was impaired by alcohol or drugs. There is no indication that excess speed was a factor, and yet there you were on the opposite side. "What has resulted here is an incalculable loss in respect of many members of the family. The outstanding question is whether or not this must be served immediately or can it properly be suspended. "Factors in favour of suspending the sentence is that there are clearly reasonable prospects of rehabilitation. You do not present a danger to the public and there is strong personal mitigation. I do not consider, on balance, in all of the circumstances of this case, that immediate custody is demanded, and so the sentence will be suspended."
Daily Record
2 days ago
- Daily Record
Gran's haunting final words to childhood sweetheart as she lay dying at roadside
Christine Jones begged for help following what turned out to be a fatal car crash. A tragic great-grandmother begged her childhood sweetheart to help her as she lay dying at the roadside. Christine Jones pleaded to her husband of nearly 50 years: "Please don't let me die". She had been a passenger in a car which was struck by another vehicle but had managed to contact him. Despite suffering extensive injuries, the 68-year-old was able to reach into her handbag for her mobile phone, allowing her to call her spouse. He then rushed to the scene and kissed and held hands with his wife as she made the haunting five-word plea. She passed away three days after the crash, which took place in Thornton Common Road in Thornton Hough, Wirral. Liverpool Echo reports it came after armed forces veteran Ian Ashworth's car veered into their path and caused a head-on smash. The dad, who "has no memory of how or why" the fatal collision occurred while he was driving home from the gym, has been spared an immediate prison sentence over the accident, which remains largely unexplained. Liverpool Crown Court heard this week that 81-year-old Bryn Jones was driving his Ford Fiesta along the two-lane carriageway in the direction of Thornton Hough at around 9pm on August 14 2023 with his stepdaughter, Mrs Jones as his front seat passenger. The two had been returning home from Arrowe Park Hospital. His long-term partner and her mother, Brenda Jones had been admitted as an inpatient. Eric Lamb, prosecuting, described how Ashworth, of New Heyes in Neston, was meanwhile travelling in the opposite direction in his Peugeot 3008 at the same time. The following collision was not caught on camera or witnessed by any other persons. Both motorists have "no recollection" of the event. But, due to markings left by the vehicles on the road surface, investigators concluded that the 62-year-old defendant's vehicle had "crossed the central divide into the oncoming carriageway," resulting in an impact to the front off-side of both cars. No defects were found on either the Ford or the Peugeot, with neither motorist being "impaired by alcohol or drugs" and no obstructions being noted in the highway. Mrs Jones, who grew up in Thornton Hough and lived in Neston for 50 years, was able to exit the vehicle following the crash. But the mum-of-five, nan-of-11 and great grandma-of-three died in hospital three days later due to "severe chest and abdominal injuries". In a statement that was read to the court on their behalf, her children detailed how they and other relatives arrived at the scene before the emergency services after being informed of the crash. They said: "We replay every moment in our heads like a slideshow. The constant images are a cruel reminder. We still expect to wake up and learn that this was all a dream. Just knowing how scared she would have been and the pain she would have felt consumes our minds every day. Mum was our laughter and our constant. She was the first person we called with good news or bad news." They also described their grandma as being left "heartbroken" when told of her daughter's death, with their statement adding: "To see her cry 'not my baby girl ' is something that still haunts us. She blamed herself and felt unnecessary guilt. The hardest thing has been watching our dad trying to be strong for us, knowing he's totally broken. "It feels like we've lost both parents. Although we know Mr Ashworth never set out that evening to intentionally hurt anyone, this has caused so much pain to so many people." Bryn Jones suffered fractures to his upper arm, collarbone and ribs during the crash and spent more than a fortnight in hospital. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. He outlined in his own statement how Brenda Jones, his partner of 16 years, passed away only three months later in November due to the "shock and sadness" of her daughter's death. Mr Jones added: "Christine and I were less than a quarter of a mile from Brenda's family home when the accident occurred. "I will never forget the devastation of Brenda being told that her daughter had died of her injuries. Christine cared for Brenda effectively full-time. I was devastated. The injuries I sustained are nothing compared to the emotional loss I felt as a result of the accident and the loss of my family." Mr Lamb finally read a statement from Christine Jones' husband Alan Jones, who said of the evening in question: "I kept looking at the clock, wondering why it was taking so long and thinking something must be wrong. I heard the phone ring and was told the news of the incident. She was only one minute away from home. "I went straight over to her, kissed her and promised her she would be ok. Her last words to me were 'please don't let me die'. I remained with her, kissing her face and holding her hand. The following days were unbearable. Christine and I met on the school bus when she was 13. She's all I've ever known. We were due to celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary two months after her passing. "She was so looking forward to celebrating our life with our wonderful family and friends. I had to put the money we had saved for the party towards her funeral. Mr Lamb finally read a statement from Christine Jones' husband Alan Jones, who said of the evening in question: "I kept looking at the clock, wondering why it was taking so long and thinking something must be wrong. "I heard the phone ring and was told the news of the incident. She was only one minute away from home. I went straight over to her, kissed her and promised her she would be ok. Her last words to me were 'please don't let me die'. I remained with her, kissing her face and holding her hand. The following days were unbearable. "Christine and I met on the school bus when she was 13. She's all I've ever known. We were due to celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary two months after her passing. She was so looking forward to celebrating our life with our wonderful family and friends. I had to put the money we had saved for the party towards her funeral. "I sit alone in the home she made constantly missing her and unable to do the things we wanted to do together. I feel totally lost without her. I visit Christine's grave every day as I don't want her to be alone. She was so afraid that evening. She even managed to get her phone out of her bag to call me as she was so desperate for me to be with her. "How she managed to do that, I'll never know." Ashworth sustained a fractured vertebrae, several broken ribs and a ruptured spleen in the collision. Under interview, he later told detectives that his "last recollection was being at traffic lights" but "recalled a kerb sticking out" which "may have been a reason" for his car crossing into the path of the other vehicle. He however "expressed remorse and asked for his apologies to be passed on". Darren Finnegan, defending, told the court: "He has asked me to express his profound remorse and how sorry he is to member of the family who are present in court today. Mr Ashworth has worked all of his life. He had joined the Royal Navy in 1980. He served in the Falklands as an engineer and left in 2002. "He currently works as a machinist for a local factory. He has one son who is 21 years of age, who he regularly goes mountain hiking with. On the day in question, Mr Ashworth had been to the gym. He had some food before leaving the gym and was driving to his ex-partner's house to housesit for her whilst her and their son went to Scotland for a holiday. "Mr Ashworth has no memory of the collision itself. He recalls navigating a kerb through the village. He then remembers an exchange with the emergency crews extracting him from his vehicle. He has no memory of how or why the collision occurred. This must have been a split second, momentary lapse in concentration. "There is no evidence of Mr Ashworth being distracted by his phone or anything of that nature. Mr Ashworth has no previous convictions. He is a man of good character. There is a character reference from his ex-partner. She describes him as being a kind, generous, supportive person who has put the needs and wants of others before those of himself many times. "He has a good driving record. He is remorseful. He feels sorry for the Joneses and was devastated to hear what happened to Mrs Jones. It was an instant which was entirely out of character for Mr Ashworth." Mr Finnegan detailed how Ashworth, who used a stick when walking to the dock, had later suffered a broken neck after falling down the stairs. He added: "He has paid his own price for his actions. His injuries including a fractured vertebrae, a ruptured spleen which had to be removed and broken ribs. He spent 16 or 17 days in hospital after the collision. Mr Ashworth's brother, towards the end of last year, took his own life. His brother's death followed that of his mother's death a few years earlier, a lady who Mr Ashworth had cared for. "Only a few weeks ago, Mr Ashworth was the victim of a serious assault when his ankle and arm were broken. Both injuries required surgery." Ashworth admitted causing death by careless driving and causing serious injury by careless driving. He appeared in the dock wearing a black suit over a white shirt and a tie emblazoned with a military crest on Wednesday. He showed no reaction as he was handed a 12-month imprisonment suspended for 18 months with a rehabilitation activity requirement of up to 10 days. Members of Ms Jones' family were meanwhile seen embracing in the public gallery, with some having been in tears at times during the hearing. Ashworth was also banned from driving for two years and will be required to pass an extended retest before being allowed back on the roads. Sentencing, Judge Robert Trevor-Jones said: "I would like to state at the outset that this is a truly tragic case. A life has been lost and another gravely affected. No sentence I can pass today could ever reflect such loss for the victim and their families. "To them, I express my utmost sympathy. Naturally, questions arise. Why? How? The fact is that very little is known. You have no recollection of what happened. I accept that. Neither does Mr Bryn Jones. There is no evidence of a loss of control. There were no deficiencies with either vehicle. No one was impaired by alcohol or drugs. "There is no indication that excess speed was a factor, and yet there you were on the opposite side. What has resulted here is an incalculable loss in respect of many members of the family. The outstanding question is whether or not this must be served immediately or can it properly be suspended. "Factors in favour of suspending the sentence is that there are clearly reasonable prospects of rehabilitation. You do not present a danger to the public and there is strong personal mitigation. I do not consider, on balance, in all of the circumstances of this case, that immediate custody is demanded, and so the sentence will be suspended."
Hamilton Spectator
3 days ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Prosecutor says suspect in Liverpool soccer parade ramming used vehicle as a weapon
LONDON (AP) — The ramming suspect in Liverpool deliberately used his vehicle as a weapon when he plowed his car into a crowd of soccer fans celebrating their team's Premier League championship, a prosecutor said Friday. Paul Doyle, wearing a black suit, white shirt and gray tie, looked emotional and hung his head during his initial court appearance in Liverpool Magistrates' Court. Doyle, 53, is charged with dangerous driving and six serious assault charges alleging that he caused or tried to cause grievous bodily harm to the two children and four adults who suffered the worst wounds among the 79 people injured, prosecutor Philip Astbury said. 'He used his vehicle deliberately as a weapon to injure those individuals,' Astbury said. Doyle, who spoke only to confirm his name, address and birth date, did not enter a plea. The charges carry a maximum sentence of life in prison if he is convicted. Doyle's case was transferred to Liverpool Crown Court, where a different judge scheduled an Aug. 14 hearing for him to enter pleas to the charges. His trial date was tentatively scheduled for Nov. 24 and was expected to last three to four weeks. Doyle's defense lawyer did not ask for bail and he was returned to jail. District Judge Paul Healey ordered that the victims' names not be published. The city had been celebrating Liverpool's record-tying 20th title when the Doyle allegedly turned down a street full of fans and joy quickly turned to tragedy. Police said they believed Doyle got past a road block by following an ambulance that was trying to reach a possible heart attack victim. Videos showed the car hit and toss a person wrapped in a red Liverpool flag into the air and then swerve into a sea of people packed on the side of the road. At least four people, including a child, had to be freed from beneath the vehicle when it came to a halt. The victims ranged in age from 9 to 78, police said. Seven people remained hospitalized Thursday. The suspect was believed to have acted alone and terrorism was not suspected, Merseyside Police said. They have not disclosed an alleged motive for the act. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Daily Mirror
3 days ago
- Daily Mirror
Everything that happened during Paul Doyle's court appearance - and what's next
Paul Doyle, 53, appeared at Liverpool Crown Court today charged with seven offences after a car ploughed into crowds in the city centre leaving 79 people injured Alleged Liverpool driver faces charges against six victims after 79 injured A trial date has been set for the man accused of driving a car into a crowd of people during Liverpool's Premier League victory parade. Paul Doyle, 53, appeared at Liverpool Crown Court on Friday charged with seven offences following the incident on Water Street, based in the city centre, on Monday. The incident resulted in 79 people suffering injuries. The ages of the victims ranged from nine to 78 years old. Seven are still hospitalised but are reported to be in a stable condition and believed to be recovering well. Here., the Mirror looks at what happened during Doyle's first appearance in the dock - and what is likely to happen next. What happened in court today? Doyle was in the dock of the crown court less than an hour after he appeared for his first appearance in the magistrates' court, which is housed in lower floors of the same building. Judge Menary said: 'Given the genuine and not surprising public interest in this case it occurred to me it would be appropriate for the matter, on being sent to this court, to be listed before me for further directions.' Doyle looked emotional when he was first brought into Liverpool Magistrates' Court from the cells and looked around at the dozens of reporters packing the courtroom, his face crumpling slightly as he held back tears. At one point, Doyle shook his head as Mr Astbury was speaking. Courtroom sketches from this morning showed Doyle spotted hanging his head down in the court. What are the charges he faces? He is accused of two counts of wounding with intent, two counts of causing grievous bodily harm with intent, two counts of attempted grievous bodily harm with intent and one count of dangerous driving. The charges relate to six victims, including two children aged 11 and 17. Reporting restrictions preventing the victims from being identified were made by the judge. According to the dangerous driving charge, Doyle drove a Ford Galaxy Titanium dangerously on roads between his home address in Burghill Road and Water Street. What was Paul Doyle's plea? Doyle made no indications of pleas after the charges were read to the court. He stood with his hands clasped and nodded as he was remanded in custody. On Thursday, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said the charges against Doyle, who is reportedly an ex-Royal Marine, would be kept 'under review as the investigation progresses'. What do we know about him? Doyle is said to have been married to his wife for 20 years, with whom he has children. The family reportedly live in a £300,000 four-bedroom detached home on an estate. Photos on social media depict the family enjoying various holidays, including trips to Disneyland, Florida, Dubai and beach getaways. It remains unclear exactly what Doyle does for work, but he is said to have had various management roles as a network security consultant, including one at an NHS Trust.. His LinkedIn page indicates that he is a former Royal Marine Commando and is now believed to work in cybersecurity. Following news of his arrest and identity, locals have since spoken out and described Doyle as a "nice guy" and a "family man". Stunned residents in the quiet cul-de-sac where the alleged driver lives told the Mirror: "It just doesn't make sense." The neighbour continued: 'It seems completely out of character. They are such a nice family... [He] is a fantastic guy. He came over to help us when our alarm went off once, and then did the same for our immediate neighbours too. "It doesn't feel right. They are lovely. The whole thing is so sad - for his wife and children and also for the people who were injured.' What's likely to happen next? Doyle, of Croxteth, Liverpool, wore a black suit with white shirt and grey tie, and had a thinning quiff of hair. He spoke only to confirm his name and date of birth during the hearing before he was remanded in custody ahead of a plea hearing on August 14. Recorder of Liverpool Judge Andrew Menary fixed a provisional trial date for November 24 and said the case was expected to last three to four weeks.
