Man That Drove Through LFC Victory Parade Was ‘In a Rage’, Court Told.
A former Royal Marine acted as a “person consumed by fury” as he mowed down scores of LFC fans at a championship celebration, in what many feared was a terrorist attack, according to court proceedings.
“The video was deeply disturbing.”
Those injured of Paul Doyle cried while video from the car’s camera showed people being thrown into the air as he accelerated into crowds and shouted: “Fucking hell, move!”
Doyle, 54, is due to be sentenced on Tuesday after pleading guilty at the start of his trial last month to 31 offences against 21 adults and eight children.
‘A Man in a Rage’
Prosecutors warned the court that the footage from Doyle’s two-tonne Ford Galaxy was “truly shocking”. It showed the parent shouting “expletives” as well as “fucking move” as he drove towards hundreds of fans, with people frantically dragging children to safety as he blasted the horn.
It was stated in court that Doyle was a “individual whose anger had completely overpowered him” as he continued driving into the mass of people, accelerating as people collided with his car.
Scale of the Carnage
In total, the ex-marine hurt 134 individuals in just seven minutes – including more than 50 who needed hospital treatment. A six-month-old boy was “remarkably” unharmed despite being left splayed on the road after the vehicle struck his stroller, according to testimony.
A supporter, Simon Nash, was shown being thrown into the air by the car, sustaining a laceration to the back of his head, broken ribs and multiple abrasions.
The defendant was heard screaming “fuck’s sake move! Get out of my path!” before ploughing further into screaming supporters, 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 day of joyfulness” to celebrate Liverpool winning their 20th league title. Scenes of jubilation swiftly became “terror”, the prosecutor said, when the driver entered the crowd as he attempted to pick up a friend who had been at the parade.
“Witnesses believed the events unfolding was a terrorist attack.”
Brave Intervention Stops Driver
As bodies lay on the ground, Doyle’s rampage was stopped by an ex-army member, a man identified in court, who climbed into a rear passenger seat and held the car’s gear selector in “park”. Even then, Doyle continued pressing the gas pedal, the court heard.
In his police interview, the defendant stated he reacted in a “blind panic” due to a fear for his safety. Yet, the prosecution argued 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 drove into the crowd and in doing so he intended to cause them serious harm.”
Reckless Behavior Before the Attack
The video indicated the driver had been driving dangerously before he reached the city centre, undertaking cars at speed and running red lights. He ignored traffic diversion measures and bypassed other cars, even emergency service vehicles, as he approached the packed streets.
The defendant is expected to receive a prison sentence of more than 10 years when he is sentenced on Tuesday.
