The man being questioned over the horror at Liverpool Football Club’s victory parade is a former Royal Marine commando who was dropping a friend off as a favour when he ploughed into fans, it emerged today.
A close friend told the Mail that the 53-year-old ‘panicked’ when his car was surrounded by supporters, who opened his car door and ‘grabbed his throat.’
‘He was trying to get out of the parade and he has panicked,’ the friend said.
‘I believe he was doing someone a favour and dropping his wife’s friend and her daughter off for an appointment.
‘He has had the window smashed, people were trying to get into the car, he has had his throat grabbed and he has panicked.’
The friend claimed the married father-of-three can’t remember anything of the incident.
‘He has phoned his wife to tell her what was going on and then he is said to have had a memory blackout,’ he added.
The married father-of-three has been in custody, held on suspicion of multiple attempted murders, driving under the influence of drugs and dangerous driving, since the horror incident as the Reds paraded their Premier League trophy on Monday night.
Some 79 people were injured, with 50 needing hospital treatment. The youngest victim was just nine and the eldest 78 – with all victims believed to be British – police revealed today.
The man who was driving the car in Liverpool. Police are still interviewing a suspect
The driver suspected of mowing down fans at Liverpool Football Club’s victory parade is a ‘lovely’ family man who runs his own business. Pictured: The incident unfolding on Monday
The 53-year-old, who is being quizzed by detectives on suspicion of multiple attempted murders, driving under the influence of drugs and dangerous driving
Shocking video footage showed supporters being catapulted off the bonnet of the Ford Galaxy as it tailgated an ambulance through a roadblock and ploughed into crowds on Water Street, close to the famous Royal Liver Building, just after 6pm. Four people were left trapped under the wheels.
But the man’s friend said he was baffled by police suggestions that he was high on drugs. He confirmed he previously served in the military and added: ‘He hasn’t had a drink for 20-plus years and I cannot believe he had taken drugs. That is just not him.
‘It is completely out of character. He is a nice lad. He has a heart of gold. I have only just found out and I feel a bit sick.’
According to his LinkedIn, the driver served with the marines as a commando in the 1990s before reading psychology and maths at a Russell Group university.
The keen runner has since held various management positions as a network security consultant, including one for several years at an NHS Trust, while company records show that he previously ran a number of businesses. He now works in cyber security.
According to social media, he also enjoyed various holidays with his children and wife of 20 years, who posted pictures online of their trips abroad, including to Disneyland and Orlando.
The friend added: ‘It is weird for me as a friend because I’ve seen the video and all the comments. Then I’ve heard the other side and it puts a completely different perspective on what happened.’
Police forensics officers work at the scene on Water Street in Liverpool, north-west England on May 27, 2025, where a car ploughed in to crowds that had gathered
Police officers cover area with an inflatable tent to preserve evidence
Police officers walk along Water Street near the Liver Building in Liverpool city centre
The friend claimed the driver’s wife, who is a Sunday school teacher, and children had since left the £300,000 family home, on a smart estate in West Derby, a suburb in the city.
Today a mechanic who serviced the Ford Galaxy involved in the attack also said he was shocked when he saw the vehicle on the television news.
Steven, who asked for his surname not to be disclosed, said: ‘I saw the pictures on the telly and just went ‘Oh my God’ I know that car.
‘I had serviced it three months ago and there were no problems with it and I took it to the garage for and MOT certificate.
‘The bloke who came round was with his wife and eldest kid, he was very proud of his car, it was his pride and joy, and he kept it immaculate.
‘I work with cars, and you get a feel for them when you look inside, it tells you a lot about a person and his was immaculate.
‘What I also remember is that he had a picture of his wife and kids on the dashboard as well, and I could sense this guy was a family man.
‘I saw the footage about two hours after it all happened and recognised it immediately, and I recognised him as well and I thought ‘Oh wow, what was he thinking’.
Jack Trotter, who escaped with injuries to his leg and back, feared his young son would become fatherless as the Ford Galaxy bore down on him
The crowd scramble to bring the car to a stop as bystanders lean into the vehicle
In footage shared widely on social media, one spectator was seen kicking and punching the car which then reversed into him
The mechanic added: ‘I just don’t know why he did what he did, I can only think he must have just panicked (because) his car was getting smashed up.
‘He was very athletic looking, and he obviously kept himself fit but we didn’t really talk much about his life, it was about the car mainly.
‘He certainly didn’t strike me as the sort of guy who did drugs because he was so sporty looking and there was certainly no drugs paraphernalia in the car.’
