Man Who Drove Into LFC Parade Described as ‘In a Rage’, Court Told.
A former Royal Marine was a “person consumed by fury” when he mowed down dozens of Liverpool football club fans at a championship celebration, an incident many initially feared to be a terrorist attack, a court has heard.
“The footage is deeply disturbing.”
Those injured of Paul Doyle wept as video from the car’s camera depicted people being thrown into the air while he sped towards the gathering while screaming: “Get out of the way!”
Doyle, 54, is due to be sentenced on Tuesday after pleading guilty on the first day of his trial last month to 31 criminal charges against 21 adults and eight children.
‘A Man in a Rage’
The prosecution warned those in court that the footage from the defendant’s two-tonne Ford Galaxy proved to be “truly shocking”. The recording revealed the parent yelling “fucking pricks” and “move out of the way” as he drove towards hundreds of fans, with people frantically dragging children to safety as he blasted the horn.
The court was told that Doyle was a “individual whose anger whose anger had completely taken hold of him” as he ploughed further into the crowd, speeding up while individuals were struck by his vehicle.
Scale of the Carnage
In total, the former Royal Marine injured 134 people in just seven minutes – including more than 50 requiring hospital care. An infant was “miraculously” uninjured even though he was left on the roadway after the vehicle struck his stroller, the court heard.
A supporter, Simon Nash, was shown being thrown into the air by the car, suffering a cut on his head, broken ribs and numerous scrapes.
The defendant was heard screaming “fuck’s sake move! Get out my fucking way!” before ploughing further into panicked fans, among them an older woman and young children who were dragged under the car.
Celebration Descends into Chaos
Addressing a packed courtroom, the prosecution said approximately a million individuals had attended “what they thought would be a joyous occasion” to celebrate Liverpool winning their 20th league title. The celebratory atmosphere turned to “horror”, it was said, when the driver entered the crowd while trying to collect a companion from the parade route.
“Witnesses believed the events unfolding constituted a terrorist incident.”
Rampage Halted by Heroic Act
With injured people on the street, Doyle’s rampage was stopped by a former soldier, Dan Barr, who climbed into a rear passenger seat and forced the gearstick into park. Even then, Doyle kept his foot on the accelerator, according to evidence.
In his police interview, Doyle stated he reacted in a “state of sheer panic” due to a fear for his safety. Yet, prosecutors contended that the dashcam footage showed Doyle “simply lost control in his desire to get to where he wanted to get to”. It was further stated: “Consumed by anger, he targeted the crowd and in doing so he intended to cause them serious harm.”
Dangerous Driving Prior to Incident
The video indicated Doyle was driving recklessly prior to entering downtown, overtaking cars dangerously and jumping red lights. He ignored traffic diversion measures and weaved around other vehicles, including an ambulance and police cars, as he entered the crowds.
The defendant is understood to be facing a prison sentence of over a decade when he is sentenced on Tuesday.
