A Royal Navy reservist whose ear was bitten off by Liverpool parade attacker Paul Doyle more than three decades ago has spoken publicly for the first time.
A Shocking Act of Violence in 1994
Stuart Lucas, now 68 and a retired teacher, was a leading hand in the Royal Naval Reserve in 1994 when he intervened to stop Doyle, then a Royal Marine, from assaulting younger colleagues. The violent confrontation erupted at Charnock Richard services on the M6 in Lancashire.
Mr Lucas recounted the moment Doyle, who had been drinking heavily, launched a flying kick that floored two young naval ratings. "I went in and gave him a bear hug, strapping his arms to his sides," he said. "That stopped him... but he could move his head and at that he promptly sunk his teeth into my ear and said, 'let go'."
The attack left Mr Lucas permanently disfigured. "It was so painful I let go and then when I did let him go, he bit through it, chewed it up and spat it out," he recalled.
From Service Station to a 21-Year Sentence
Paul Doyle, now 54, was sentenced last week to 21 years and six months in prison for driving into crowds at Liverpool FC's title victory parade in May last year. The incident left 130 people injured. Doyle admitted to dangerous driving, affray, and 29 other charges related to grievous bodily harm.
This recent conviction casts a stark new light on his long history of violence. Following the 1994 ear-biting attack, Doyle was discharged from the Royal Marines. He was later jailed for 12 months at Preston Crown Court after pleading guilty to grievous bodily harm and threatening behaviour.
Mr Lucas described the surreal scene on the coach trip that preceded the assault. Doyle was one of only two marines travelling with 28 sailors to Barry in South Wales. "We were short of men to man the boat so we pinched two from the marines, more as ballast than anything else," he said.
Lifelong Scars and a Chilling Parallel
Despite being rushed to hospital with the severed part of his ear in a bag, surgeons were unable to reattach it. Mr Lucas turned down subsequent reconstructive surgery due to the lengthy recovery time.
Reflecting on Doyle's recent attack in Liverpool, Mr Lucas saw a disturbing pattern. "There's your link," he stated. "Everyone at the parade was all happy and he was the one that was unhappy. And in our little scenario everyone was happy... and then all hell broke loose."
He expressed a sense of resignation rather than active hatred towards Doyle. "What are my feelings towards him now? Nothing really," Mr Lucas said. "I saw him on the telly and they showed a vibrant youthful person - when he was happy. And I saw the other version."
The 1994 court hearing, reported by the Lancashire Evening Post, heard that the fight was triggered when Doyle threw a plastic bottle of urine at one of the Navy reservists. Alexander Thomson, another Marine reserve involved, was fined £300 for threatening behaviour.
