A former royal marine was today jailed for 21 years for mowing down crowds at the Liverpool victory parade – as newly released footage showed the moments leading up to the terrifying attack which left 134 people injured. 

Paul Doyle, 54, a married father-of-three, from Croxteth, Liverpool, tried to lie that he ‘panicked’ and drove the car into the crowds on May 26 out of fear for his own life. 

But the truth, captured on his own dashcam and in CCTV footage, shows that he lost his temper and deliberately drove his car as a ‘weapon’ in a fit of rage.

For the first time, Doyle can be heard calling fans ‘f***ing pr****’ and beeping his horn, as he ploughed into crowds celebrating the club’s Premier League title win on Water Street in Liverpool city centre.

Sentencing judge Andrew Menary KC told Doyle he acted in an ‘inexplicable and undiluted fury’ when the horror unfolded. 

‘It is almost impossible to comprehend how any right-thinking person could act as you did. To drive a vehicle into crowds of pedestrians with such persistence and disregard for human life defies ordinary understanding,’ he said.

Doyle – who had been sobbing throughout his two-day sentencing hearing – did not react as he was handed a jail term of 21 years and six months.

He will serve two-thirds of the prison term in custody and will also be banned from driving for three years after his release – despite victims’ calls for him to be handed a lifetime disqualification. 

Today, as Doyle was sentenced to prison it emerged:

• Far from the ‘family man’ he painted himself to be, Doyle had a number of previous convictions and was discharged from the military for assault;
• In 1994, Doyle was jailed for 12 months after biting off a sailor’s ear during a drunken brawl;
• A terror attack victim, cancer survivor, Ukrainian refugee and six-month-old baby were among the 134 people injured during the rampage;
• The carnage only stopped when hero ex-soldier Daniel Barr opened the car door and put the automatic into park mode – despite Doyle continuing to push the accelerator.

This is the horrifying moment an ex-royal marine screamed ‘move, get out the f***ing way’ as he mowed down Liverpool fans with his car at a victory parade

Paul Doyle has been sentenced at Liverpool Crown Court after driving into football fans in May 

Doyle previously pleaded guilty to 31 offences relating to seriously injuring people during the victory parade in May. He injured a total of 134 people in seven minutes

He previously pleaded guilty to 31 offences relating to seriously injuring people during the victory parade in May.

Prosecutors said in the space of two minutes, his Ford Galaxy – which weighed nearly two tonnes – collided with ‘well over 100 people’. 

The 29 victims named in the indictment ranged in age from six-month-old Teddy Eveson, whose pram was thrown in the air in the crash, and 77-year-old Susan Passey. 

In bodycam footage released today, Doyle can be heard saying ‘oh Jesus Christ, sounds horrible’ as he sat in a police van following the rampage.

The camera also appears to show Doyle slumped against a seat inside the vehicle, before saying: ‘My life’s ruined now.’

He continued to tell officers: ‘It’s ruined so many people’s lives, that. That’s just ruined and affected so many lives.’ 

At the sentencing hearing, Judge Menary KC told the defendant he acted in an ‘inexplicable and undiluted fury’ when he ploughed into crowds.

He told Doyle: ‘It is almost impossible to comprehend how any right-thinking person could act as you did.

‘To drive a vehicle into crowds of pedestrians with such persistence and disregard for human life defies ordinary understanding.’

The judge added: ‘Your actions caused horror and devastation on a scale not previously encountered by this court.’ 

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Should drivers who endanger crowds ever be allowed back behind the wheel?

An artist’s sketch of Paul Doyle as he was today sentenced to 21 years and six months in prison

Footage shows the moment Doyle was detained by police 

Doyle’s sentencing hearing was told the 54-year-old was ‘in a rage’ and his ‘anger had completely taken hold of him’

Doyle had travelled to the city centre from his home in Croxteth, Liverpool, to collect friends who had been at the parade. 

During his drive into the city he undertook other vehicles and ran a red light.

Footage showed the father-of-three driving down Dale Street, appearing not to slow down despite Liverpool fans filling the roads.

His dashcam footage captured him saying ‘f****** pricks’ as people pulled their children out of the way to prevent him hitting them.

When he reached a line of cars turning right, away from Water Street which was closed to traffic, he paused before swerving into crowds filling the left lane.

People could be seen on the bonnet of his car and falling underneath as Doyle accelerated into the street.

His car was only brought to a stop when fan Daniel Barr climbed into the back seat of the automatic vehicle and held the gearstick in park mode.

Daniel Barr jumped into the back of Paul Doyle’s car and applied the hand brake

After sentencing, ex-solider Mr Barr insisted he is not a hero, saying countless other Liverpool supporters would have done the same thing.

Mr Barr, who did tours of Iraq where his role included searching for improvised explosive devices, jumped into the back of the 54-year-old’s car as he began mowing down fans streaming away from last May’s victory parade and grabbed the gearstick.

Mr Barr spoke of how he shoved it into ‘park’ and held it there even as the raging father-of-three kept revving the engine.

‘He had no chance, he wasn’t going to move my arm,’ the 41-year-old said, adding that Doyle would have had to ‘chop it off’.

Describing his mindset as ‘Get amongst it, do something’, he said anyone with the opportunity to intervene would have done the same.

‘If they could have, they would have.’

And the lifelong Liverpool fan described the horror at feeling the two-ton people carrier ‘going over’ terrified families, ‘sailing through’ as if there was ‘no resistance at all from the people’.

‘It was like it was gliding through, indiscriminately.’

Doyle, who has previous convictions for violence in the 1990s, continued to try to accelerate but the car, which had people trapped underneath it by this point, was unable to move further.

When interviewed, he said he had seen someone with a knife and drove in panic for fear he would be attacked, but police found no evidence from CCTV or witnesses that anyone in the area had a knife.

No defects were found with the car and Doyle was not under the influence of drink or drugs.

He initially denied all 31 offences he was charged with but last month, moments before the prosecution was due to open his trial, he changed his pleas.

James Allison, from the Crown Prosecution Service Mersey-Cheshire, said: ‘Why did he do it? I think the simple answer is he lost his temper. He went into a rage.

‘He just wanted to get down that road, and in trying to get down that road those next couple of minutes probably devastated a lot of people’s lives.’

Detective Chief Inspector John Fitzgerald said: ‘Doyle’s total disregard for the safety of others-particularly the many young children present on Dale Street and Water Street that day-is beyond comprehension.

‘It is sheer luck that no lives were lost.’

He added that the dashcam footage – which is not being released due to its upsetting nature – was ‘the most distressing and graphic’ he had come across in his 20 years of policing.  

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Donald Trump was forced to sign a bill that would see the Epstein Files released within just a few days, with eyes across the world ready to see what secrets they contain

Billionaire Jeffrey Epstein

The Epstein Files are expected to be released in the coming days after Donald Trump was forced into a humiliating U-turn.

The US President signed a bill that ordered the release of government files connected to the child sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein. Trump vowed to make the documents public during the 2024 race for the White House and was, in part, a reason why millions voted for him.

But he struck a combative tone since his return to the Oval Office and has had public spats with Republicans who wanted the files to be made public. Trump’s apparent tonal shift raised questions about why he would be so reluctant to release the documents.

READ MORE: Brits visiting US face ‘life-altering consequences’ if ‘anti-American’ content foundREAD MORE: Jeffrey Epstein files finally UNSEALED as judge dramatically reverses decision

What has Trump said about Files?

Trump had vowed to release the files while he was on the campaign trial (Image: Getty Images)

Trump was friends with Epstein before the late billionaire was first convicted of child sex offences in 2008. A 2003 “birthday letter” allegedly sent from Trump to Epstein was released earlier this year by House Democrats.

The letter appeared to show the outline of a woman with a suggestive message speaking about a “wonderful secret”. Trump has strongly denied the message was written by him, though it carried his name and what appeared to be his signature.

Trump has dismissed the Epstein Files as a Democrat-organised “hoax” that is being carried out to distract away from his administration’s work in office.

Battle for release

Thomas Massie battled to get the files released (Image: Getty Images)

Republicans dominate Congress and had expected an easy ride to release the Epstein Files but Trump got into public spats with those who wanted to make them public. A bitter battle ensued between Trump and a few Republicans such as Thomas Massie who wanted to get the files out.

Massie eventually teamed up with Democrats to pass a bill that would force the files to be released by December 19. The Department of Justice is, in theory, compelled to release them.

When will Epstein Files be released?

Epstein died in a New York prison cell in 2019 (Image: AP)

The US justice department must release the Epstein Files by Friday December 19. Trump saved to mounting pressure from Republicans and publicly backed the release of the files, leading to an avalanche of Congressmen to back the bill.

Lawmakers passed the legislation by 427 approving votes to one. The Senate passed the bill through unanimous consent. Trump then signed the bill into law, despite having powers to release the files at any time.

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Thailand and Cambodia have had disputes over land going back generations, causing thousands to be displaced along their shared border. Al Jazeera’s Victoria Gatenby breaks it down.

Published On 16 Dec 202516 Dec 2025

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Jonathan BealeDefence correspondent in Kyiv

YURIY DYACHYSHYN/AFP

Across Ukraine electricity is being rationed – with supplies turned on for a few hours each day

Ukraine’s biggest energy provider is living in permanent crisis mode because of Russian attacks on the grid, its chief executive has told the BBC.

Most of Ukraine is suffering from lengthy power cuts as temperatures drop and Maxim Timchenko, whose company DTEK provides power for 5.6 million Ukrainians, says the intensity of strikes has been so frequent “we just don’t have time to recover”.

President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Tuesday that Russia knew the winter cold could become one of its most dangerous weapons.

“Every night Ukrainian parents hold their children in basements and shelters hoping our air defence will hold,” he told the Dutch parliament.

As the fourth anniversary of Russia’s full scale invasion approaches, Maxim Timchenko says Russia has repeatedly targeted DTEK’s energy grid with “waves of drones, cruise and ballistic missiles” and his company has found it difficult to cope.

Tens of thousands of people in the southern city of Odesa have been without electricity for three days this week, following a co-ordinated Russian attack.

Reuters

Much of Odesa has been without power in recent days

“Life has been difficult, but people are very supportive of each other,” says Yana, who is among those lucky enough still to have power. She has invited friends to her home to charge their phones.

Power outages also cut off heat and water supplies and Yana says those still connected to the grid have offered strangers the chance to wash or take a shower.

Across Ukraine electricity is being rationed – with supplies turned on for a few hours each day.

Many Ukrainians rely on power banks and generators as a back-up, and the sound of generators in the capital is now more constant than the air raid warnings.

Kyiv resident Tetiana says the first thing she does in the morning is to check her phone to find out the daily schedule for when her power will be switched on. Like many she has invested in power banks to make life more bearable:

“You need to remember when you leave home to leave the powerbanks on so that you have them charged when you get back home.”

Shutterstock

Many Ukrainians rely on powerbanks and generators during regular power cuts

About 50% of Ukraine’s energy is currently supplied by three large nuclear power plants in central and western Ukraine. But the network that transfers that power has been severely damaged.

DTEK runs about 10 power stations, most of them fuelled by coal.

One was recently targeted by five 5 ballistic missiles and Mr Timchenko said some of their power plants and sub stations had been attacked “every three or four days”.

“I don’t remember a single day when I had no reports about some damage to our grid.”

Matthew Goddard/BBC

DTEK chief executive Maxim Timchenko says his company has found it hard to cope

Finding spare parts to repair damaged equipment has become a significant challenge.

The energy provider used to be able to source equipment from within Ukraine, but now it has to scour the ret of Europe for replacement parts.

This year DTEK has had to spend $166m (£123m) on repairing its damaged thermal power plants and coal facilities.

“We will not give up,” Maxim Timchenko insists: “We have a responsibility to millions of mothers to have power and heat”.

DTEK’s origins are in the Donbas in Eastern Ukraine where the fighting is fiercest and where power supplies have been disrupted the most.

Eight of its engineers have been killed doing their job.

“Every day they risk their lives to keep power in this area,” Mr Timchenko said.

Additional reporting by Anastasia Levchenko and Kyla Herrmannsen.

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A trial got underway in Seoul last week for 46 South Koreans, mostly men in their 20s, accused of participating in online scam operations in Cambodia.

Since mid-October, South Korea has repatriated 107 nationals from Cambodia where officials estimate upwards of 1,000 of its citizens are working either “voluntarily or involuntarily” in scam compounds.

The repatriation effort follows public outrage over the death of a South Korean college student, who was reportedly lured to Cambodia and forced to work in a scam center. The 22-year-old’s body was discovered with injuries consistent with torture, suggesting that he may have been beaten to death.

An autopsy revealed he “died as a result of severe torture, with multiple bruises and injuries across his body,” according to a Cambodian court statement.

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung said “the government’s greatest responsibility is to safeguard the lives and safety of our people.”

Lee added that, “we must protect the victims and swiftly repatriate those involved in these incidents back to Korea.” 

A trial is underway in Seoul for 46 Korean suspects accused of participating in online scam rings in CambodiaImage: Hwawon Ceci Lee/Anadolu/picture alliance

South Korea recently joined the US, UK and Singapore in imposing sanctions on Cambodia’s Prince Holding Group, a multinational network whose founder is accused of running large-scale fraud operations across Southeast Asia — charges the company has rejected. 

“What we have seen recently is that like South Korea, there has been a push towards following the money and putting sanctions and freezing people’s money,” said Brian Hanley, Asia-Pacific director for the Global Anti-Scam Alliance (GASA), a global non-profit fighting online fraud. “And we think this has started to make a dent.”

Billions lost to Southeast Asia scam networks

Southeast Asia has become a major hub for digital scam operations. It is estimated that over 200,000 people have been trafficked into countries like Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia under the guise of lucrative job offers. There they work in massive scam centers that are part of a multibillion-dollar cyber fraud industry running online scamming schemes.

These large scam operations are concentrated in remote conflict zones of Southeast Asia, particularly along Thailand’s borders with Cambodia and Myanmar.

Recent clashes between Thai and Cambodian forces have included strikes on suspected scam compounds in Cambodia. In Myanmar, such centers have proliferated and are reportedly financing both sides of the country’s ongoing civil war.

Freed captives describe scam operations in Myanmar

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Scam center workers are typically citizens of Asian countries who are often victims of human trafficking, while the scams primarily target people in Western, English-speaking nations.

“We’re talking about human trafficking and slavery so obviously this is a major human rights issue,” said Hanley. “But it is also a national security issue, not just for the region but for the whole world.”

In its State of the Scams 2025 report, GASA estimates that $442 billion (€375.4 billion) has been lost to scams worldwide in the 12 months ending October 2025. That figure could be higher as many people do not report their losses to online scams.

GASA also found that 57% of adults worldwide have had a scam experience in the last 12 months.

Examples of scams include online shopping, investment and romance scams, which fraudsters refer to as “pig butchering” — a term referring to “fattening” victims by gaining their trust, often through fictitious romantic relationships.

Once trust is established, scammers convince victims to transfer funds into fake cryptocurrency investment platforms, which are then laundered through accounts across Asia, making recovery extremely difficult.

Why the US is a top target for scammer networks

The FBI estimates that the scam industry in Southeast Asia defrauds Americans of $9 billion to $10 billion (€7.7 billion to €8.5 billion) per year.

The GASA report says that $64.8 billion was stolen from Americans in the year ending in October 2025, with each victim losing an average of $1,087. It added that the average American now encounters a scam attempt every single day. 

Authorities in Myanmar detain a group of suspected scam centre workers and victims during a crackdown operationImage: AFP/Getty Images

In response to rising instances of cyber fraud, US authorities established the Scam Center Strike Force in November. It is an interagency task force focused on investigating, dismantling, and prosecuting scam centers and those who finance them.

“My office will not stand by as these Chinese organized crime enterprises empty out the bank accounts of hardworking Americans,” said US Attorney Jeanine Pirro when launching the task force.

The US partnered with the UK in 2025 to sanction individuals and entities that operate illegal scam centers across Southeast Asia.

Australia and Singapore also made strides in enacting legislation to protect their citizens from scams and also cooperate with the US on law enforcement operations and sanctions. 

For Jacob Sims, a visiting fellow at the Asia Center at Harvard University who has been tracking transnational crime in Cambodia and greater Southeast Asia, the issue of scams has gained significant political traction in the US over the past year.

“A year ago today in DC there was one sanction,” said Sims. “And today, a large number of the prominent names and entities have been sanctioned and there are a dozen bills in Congress.”

However, these actions have also been hampered by cuts to USAID programs in Southeast Asia that monitored human trafficking along the Thai-Myanmar border and in Cambodia, which were eradicated under the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

“The response thus far, as much momentum as there clearly is, does not yet constitute a truly strategic response and is not yet commensurate to the threat or sufficient to meaningfully disrupt it,” said Sims.

The role of China in scam centers

Many of the massive scam centers across Southeast Asia are said to be run by Chinese criminal networks.

Scam factory: Behind Asia’s cyber slavery

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China has taken steps to shut down scam centers in Cambodia and Myanmar — but only those targeting Chinese people.

A report submitted to the US Congress in July found few links between these criminal networks to the Chinese government or members of the Chinese Communist Party (CPP), but stated that the actions of these organizations often further fuel these regional conflicts through corruption and crime.

Even with the recent announcements of sanctions and criminal investigations, countries like South Korea and even the US appear reluctant to criticize the governments of China or Cambodia and instead target the criminals and their networks directly.

According to Sims, as long as Phnom Penh performs just enough cooperation to preserve the illusion that it remains strategically “in play,” Western capitals have proven reliably willing to tolerate industrial-scale scams targeting their own citizens.

“Many governments hesitate to confront Cambodia directly because they still view it as a pivotal chess piece in a China-versus-the-West geopolitical game,” he said.

Edited by: Keith Walker

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Bystanders were seen on video confronting a gunman before his ISIS-inspired deadly mass shooting at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia, could begin. 

Despite their efforts to disarm him, the gunman eventually overpowered the two bystanders and killed them, according to authorities.

The bystanders were later identified as Boris and Sofia Gurman, according to the Sydney Morning Herald. The outlet reported that the Gurmans were walking by as they saw the assailant exiting a vehicle. Though Boris had the upper hand for a moment after picking up the shooter’s rifle, the attacker allegedly picked up another rifle during the confrontation and fatally shot the couple, making them the first victims of the massacre.

“We are heartbroken by the sudden and senseless loss of our beloved Boris and Sofia Gurman,” the family said in a statement on Tuesday afternoon, according to the Sydney Morning Herald. “While nothing can lessen the pain of losing Boris and Sofia, we feel an overwhelming sense of pride in their bravery and selflessness.”

RABBI KILLED IN SYDNEY HANUKKAH ATTACK HAD WARNED AUSTRALIAN PM ABOUT RISING ANTISEMITISM

Bystanders were seen confronting one of the gunmen behind the deadly attack on a Hanukkah celebration at Australia’s Bondi Beach. (Jenny/Reuters)

In the video, obtained and verified by Reuters, an eyewitness replaying the dashcam footage recalls how the incident unfolded.

“You see the shooter here — he fired shots from here, shooting from here. And then look, this guy went and tackled him (shooter), knocking him to the ground. At that point, he had already grabbed the gun,” the witness, who was speaking in Mandarin, said in the video, according to a Reuters translation.

Authorities have identified the shooters as a father, 50, and a son, 24. The father was killed at the scene, while the son was shot by police and taken to the hospital in critical condition. Australian authorities also said that the shooters had improvised explosives and homemade ISIS flags in their vehicle.

On Sunday, the pair opened fire on families celebrating Hanukkah at Bondi Beach, killing 15 people and leaving more than two dozen injured. The Australian government is investigating the incident as a terror attack targeting the Jewish community.

GAL GADOT, ASHTON KUTCHER CONDEMN ANTISEMITIC TERROR ATTACK AT BONDI BEACH HANUKKAH EVENT

Police teams take security measures at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia, on Sunday after a terrorist attack targeting the Jewish community during the first night of Hanukkah.  ( Claudio Galdames A/Anadolu via Getty Images)

During the deadly rampage, another bystander, Ahmed al Ahmed, an Australian immigrant, wrestled a gun away from one of the shooters. His attorney said that Ahmed does not regret intervening, despite being “riddled with bullets” and in intense pain.

“He doesn’t regret what he did. He said he’d do it again. But the pain has started to take a toll on him,” Ahmed’s attorney, Sam Issa, told The Sydney Morning Herald. “He’s not well at all. He’s riddled with bullets. Our hero is struggling at the moment.”

The outlet reported that Ahmed has undergone his first round of surgery and that Issa fears the hero bystander may lose his left arm.

“He’s a lot worse than expected. When you think of a bullet in the arm, you don’t think of serious injuries, but he has lost a lot of blood,” Issa said.

President Donald Trump praised Ahmed for his actions, calling him “a very, very brave person” and saying that he has “great respect” for him.

People attend a floral memorial in honor of the victims of a mass shooting that targeted a Hanukkah celebration on Sunday, at Bondi Beach, in Sydney, Australia, Dec. 16, 2025.  (Flavio Brancaleone/Reuters)

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The Bondi Beach attack is the worst mass shooting Australia has seen since the country implemented sweeping reforms after a shooter killed 35 people in Port Arthur, Tasmania, in 1996. Following the Bondi Beach attack, Australian leaders have vowed to strengthen the country’s already restrictive gun laws.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced several proposed actions, including limiting the number of guns one can possess.

“The government is prepared to take whatever action is necessary. Included in that is the need for tougher gun laws,” he said after meeting with his National Cabinet.

Fox News Digital’s Louis Casiano, Bradford Betz and Alex Nitzberg contributed to this report.

Rachel Wolf is a breaking news writer for Fox News Digital and FOX Business.

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Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US

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Four of America’s largest retail chains have been criticised by federal health officials for their failure to promptly remove contaminated infant formula from sale.

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued warning letters on Monday to Walmart, Target, Kroger, and Albertsons, stating that these companies continued to sell ByHeart infant formula for days or weeks after a nationwide recall was initiated on 11 November. The formula is linked to a dangerous botulism outbreak, which has reportedly sickened more than 50 babies across 19 states.

“As a participant in the supply chain, your firm should take prompt and effective action when notified of a product recall,” FDA officials said in warning letters sent to the companies on Dec. 12 and posted online Monday.

The formula was found at Target stores in 20 states “well after the recall was initiated,” one letter said. In addition, it was sold at a Target store in New Hampshire on Nov. 16, despite an electronic block on the product’s sales code, the FDA noted. And at a Target store in Arkansas, single-serve packs of ByHeart formula were promoted with a “Sale!” sign and a $2 discount from Nov. 16 to Nov. 22.

Information from state and local health officials said ByHeart formula was found at Walmart stores in 21 states from Nov. 12 to Nov. 26. The formula was found in Albertsons stores in 11 states from Nov. 12 to Nov. 19, and at Kroger stores in 10 states from Nov. 12 to Nov. 19.

In addition, the companies failed to provide FDA with evidence that corrective actions have been put in place, despite multiple requests, the agency said. The companies have 15 working days to respond to the letters.

open image in gallery

Stephen Dexter holds a container of ByHeart baby formula, which was recently recalled by ByHeart, in Flagstaff, Ariz., on Wednesday, Nov. 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Cheyanne Mumphrey, File) Formula-Botulism Recall (Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

Walmart officials said in a statement that no ByHeart formula was sold after cash registers were blocked from selling the formula following the recall.

“We moved swiftly to issue a sales restriction and removed this product from our impacted stores and clubs and online,” a company spokesperson said in an email. “We take all reports of inaction seriously and will respond to the letter.”

Albertsons officials said the company worked closely with suppliers and regulators to identify and remove the products and communicate to customers.

“ByHeart infant formula products have been removed from our store shelves,” the company said in a statement.

All of the babies in the outbreak have been hospitalized and treated with an IV medication to stop the progress of the disease. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention expanded the outbreak to include all babies treated for botulism after consuming ByHeart formula since it was first produced in 2023.

Steven Mandernach, executive director at the Association of Food and Drug Officials, said the FDA itself was slow to distribute information about the recall with state and local food safety officials. The agency didn’t fully share product lists until Nov. 14 — nearly a week after the initial recall of two lots of ByHeart formula on Nov. 8.

He said it was “disappointing” in an outbreak involving the sole source of nutrition for vulnerable infants.

“There probably wasn’t the sense of urgency to ensure the product was off the market that I would expect,” Mandernach said.

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NEED TO KNOW

• The last pennies ever to be minted in the U.S. sold for over $16 million in an auction on behalf of the United States Mint on Friday, Dec. 12
• The pennies were sold in sets of three, which featured a 2025 penny, a 24-karat gold penny struck from the Philadelphia Mint, and a 2025-D penny struck from the Denver Mint
• The U.S. Mint in Philadelphia concluded its minting of the penny on Nov. 12, exactly one month before the auction

The last pennies to be minted in the U.S. sold for over $16 million in an auction. 

Auction company Stack’s Bowers Galleries in California announced in a press release that it garnered a total of $16.76 million from a special auction of the pennies sold on behalf of the United States Mint on Friday, Dec. 12.

Among the auction were 232 sets of three coins that each featured a 2025 penny, a 24-karat gold penny struck from the Philadelphia Mint and a 2025-D penny struck from the Denver Mint, the auction company said.

The coins were particularly special as they featured a small marking of the final Greek letter Omega, which signified “their role as the capstone to a two-centuries-long legacy that first began in 1793 with the Chain Cent,” the release said.

A photo of the final pennies put up for auction by Stack’s Bowers Galleries in California.

United States Mint

The auction house noted that the pennies in particular garnered “unprecedented levels of collector interest,” which slightly delayed the auction and led to “nearly four hours of competitive bidding” among coin collectors.

Each of these sets sold for an average of $72,000 while 17 lots sold for more than $100,000 each. The most expensive sets were the first, which was sold for $200,000 and the final one — Set #232 — which sold for a whopping $800,000.

U.S. Treasurer Brandon Beach holds the last penny stamped at the US Mint on November 12, 2025.

Matthew Hatcher/Getty

The final set, which included the “very last circulating penny intended for issuance struck at Philadelphia and Denver,” the final Omega penny in gold and three sets of “canceled dies used to strike this historic series,”  took the top price during the auction.

Stack’s Bowers Galleries noted that the final set ranks as the “most valuable modern U.S.” currency set sold after surpassing the previous record held by a Space Flown 24-karat Gold Sacagawea dollars, which sold for $550,000 in September 2025.

“It’s an extraordinary honor to again be selected to partner with the United States Mint to offer exciting numismatic rarities to the collecting public,” Stack’s Bowers Galleries President Brian Kendrella said in a press release. 

“They captured the public imagination like few rare coins we’ve ever handled. Even our staff of expert numismatists, who see the world’s most famous and valuable rare coins day in and day out, were excited by the chance to handle the very last pennies struck before the suspension of circulating production,” he added.

U.S. Treasurer Brandon Beach holds the last penny stamped at the US Mint.

Matthew Hatcher/Getty

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The auction came exactly one month after the U.S. Mint in Philadelphia concluded its minting of the penny. President Donald Trump ordered the coin to be discontinued after it became more costly to produce than what it is worth.

“For far too long the United States has minted pennies which literally cost us more than 2 cents,” Trump wrote in a post in February, according to NBC News. “This is so wasteful! I have instructed my Secretary of the U.S. Treasury to stop producing new pennies.”

The penny is the first coin to be discontinued since the half-cent in 1857, according to the AP.

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A new trend of ‘micro gifting’ is growing in popularity, with a fifth of people choosing multiple smaller presents instead of big-ticket items

Brits are opting for smaller more budget-friendly presents this Christmas(Image: Getty Images)

Brits are abandoning expensive Christmas presents this year in favour of ‘micro gifting’, new research has revealed. A study found that 22% have no plans to splash out on a single costly item for anyone, choosing instead to shower their nearest and dearest with a number of smaller presents.

The research found that 39% of respondents believe micro-gifting is gaining traction, particularly amongst younger demographics, with a third convinced that Gen Z is leading the movement. The trend seems to stem from people’s desire to offer more meaningful and personalised gifts, at a lower price tag. As well as it being easier to spread the cost and budget better.

Brits believe smaller gifts are more thoughtful and personal(Image: Getty Images)

The study of 2,000 adults, commissioned by Virgin Money following the release of its autumn spending report covering September to November expenditure by credit card holders, highlights this growing trend.

Nick Martin, head of lending insights at Virgin Money, said: “Everyone loves opening presents on Christmas Day, but what really stands out is the move towards more thoughtful, personal gifts for friends and family. This trend is proving popular with both shoppers and recipients.”

Almost half (45%) also said they’d recommend ‘micro gifting’ to friends and family due to it being budget-friendly, encouraging thoughtfulness and being a fun and creative way to surprise someone.

Shoppers will buy an average of five presents per person this year(Image: Getty Images)

According to the OnePoll.com findings, 38% believe that having more smaller items to purchase makes Christmas shopping more enjoyable. What’s more, 17% would rather receive these ‘micro-gifts’ compared to 10% who would choose a single, more costly present.

Top smaller presents include chocolates, cosy socks and scented candles or diffusers. Other popular mini gifts include bath salts, food and drink sets, as well as lip balms, hand creams, or hot chocolate sets.

The research also revealed respondents will purchase an average of five presents per person this year, spending £49 in total, which is down £16 from £65 in 2024.

Virgin Money’s spend trends report revealed their credit card customers spent £1.9 billion on purchases in September, October and November this year.

Nick Martin from the brand added: “Our customer spend data shows tech and electrical goods dominated spending in autumn, likely for Christmas gifts.

“We can see people were making the most of the recent Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales, as our credit card customers made 1.2 million lifestyle purchases, the equivalent of seven per second, totalling £77m on Black Friday and Cyber Monday alone.

“Interestingly, overall spend for the quarter is down compared to the previous quarter, suggesting smaller, more thoughtful, budget-friendly gifts could be on the agenda this Christmas.”

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Eight people have been killed in US military strikes on three boats it has accused of smuggling drugs in the Pacific Ocean.

The US military’s Southern Command said the strikes targeted “designated terrorist organisations” killing three “narco-terrorists” in the first vessel, two in the second boat and three in the third.

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No evidence the vessels were involved in drug trafficking has been given, but a video showing the strikes on the boats was posted on social media.

Southern Command added that defence secretary Pete Hegseth ordered the strikes, and claimed intelligence confirmed the vessels were using known drug trafficking routes and engaged in drug trafficking.

Image:
The US military said it carried out strikes in the Pacific Ocean on three boats it accused of trafficking drugs. Pic: X/@Southcom

Image:
One of the boats targeted during the strikes. Pic: X/@Southcom

It is unclear where the vessels were from, but the strikes mark the latest in Donald Trump‘s “war” with drug cartels, which has also seen vessels targeted in the Caribbean Sea, including near Venezuela.

Over the past several months, the US has been carrying out a large-scale military build-up in the southern Caribbean, with the stated goal of combating drug trafficking.

In its first lethal strike on 2 September, the White House posted on X that it had conducted a strike against “narcoterrorists” shipping fentanyl to the US, without providing evidence of the alleged crime.

Sky’s Data & Forensics unit last week verified that in the four months up to 10 December, 23 boats were targeted in 22 strikes, killing 87 people.

US forces also seized a crude oil tanker, named Skipper, off the coast of Venezuela last week.

The government in Caracas, led by President Nicolas Maduro, who insists the real purpose of the US military operations is to force him out of office, branded the ship’s seizure a “blatant theft” and an “act of international piracy”.

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On Monday, Mr Trump signed an executive order declaring fentanyl a “weapon of mass destruction”.

The order instructs the State and Treasury departments to pursue the financial assets of and sanctions on financial institutions and groups involved in fentanyl trafficking.

It also calls for greater co-operation between the Pentagon and the Justice Department on fentanyl and drug trafficking issues.

The latest strikes on vessels allegedly trafficking drugs come on the eve of briefings on Capitol Hill for all members of Congress as questions mount over the Trump administration’s military actions.

Mr Hegseth, secretary of state Marco Rubio, and other top national security officials are expected to provide closed-door briefings for politicians in the House and Senate.

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