LONDON (AP) — The man accused of ramming his car into a parade of Liverpool soccer fans in May as the team was celebrating its Premier League triumph is to face a further 24 charges, including two relating to victims who were babies.
Paul Doyle, 53, was in tears as he appeared over videolink from prison for the Liverpool Crown Court hearing on Thursday.
During the hearing, he was informed of the new charges, 23 of which were for assault. Six of the new charges relate to children, including two babies aged 6 and 7 months at the time.
He was originally charged with seven offenses after the incident in the city center on May 26.
Doyle is expected to enter pleas on Sept. 4.
Fans had been celebrating Liverpool’s record-tying 20th title when Doyle allegedly drove down a street full of fans and joy quickly turned to tragedy. Police said they believed Doyle got through a roadblock by following an ambulance that was trying to reach a possible heart attack victim.
In a video the car could be seen hitting and sending a person wrapped in a red Liverpool flag into the air before swerving 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.
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.
