Man That Drove Through Liverpool FC Victory Parade Described as ‘Consumed by Rage’, Court Hears.
A former Royal Marines Commando acted as a “person consumed by fury” as he drove into dozens of LFC supporters during a victory parade, an incident many initially feared to be a terrorist attack, according to court proceedings.
“The video is deeply disturbing.”
Those injured of Paul Doyle wept while dashcam footage depicted bodies spinning through the air while he sped towards the gathering and shouted: “Get out of the way!”
The 54-year-old defendant is due to be sentenced on Tuesday following his guilty plea on the first day of his trial last month to 31 criminal charges against 21 adults and eight children.
‘A Man in a Rage’
Prosecutors warned those in court that the video evidence from Doyle’s large people carrier was “truly shocking”. The recording revealed the parent yelling “expletives” and “fucking move” while he headed straight for hundreds of fans, with people frantically dragging children to safety as his car horn blared.
It was stated in court that Doyle acted as a “man in a rage had completely overpowered him” as he ploughed further into the crowd, accelerating as people collided with his car.
Scale of the Carnage
In total, the ex-marine injured 134 individuals in just seven minutes – with over fifty requiring hospital care. A six-month-old boy was “remarkably” unharmed despite being left splayed on the road when Doyle’s car hit his pram, the court heard.
A supporter, a man named in court, was shown being thrown into the air by the vehicle, sustaining a laceration on his head, rib fractures and numerous scrapes.
The defendant was heard screaming “fuck’s sake move! Get out of my path!” before ploughing further into panicked fans, among them an older woman and young children who became trapped beneath the vehicle.
Scene of Jubilation Turns to Horror
Speaking to a full court, lawyers said approximately a million individuals had attended “an event they believed to be a day of joyfulness” to celebrate Liverpool winning their 20th league title. Scenes of jubilation turned to “terror”, the prosecutor said, when the driver entered the crowd as he attempted to pick up a friend who had been at the parade.
“Some at the scene thought that what was taking place constituted a terrorist incident.”
Rampage Halted by Heroic Act
As bodies lay on the ground, Doyle’s rampage was brought to a halt by a former soldier, a man identified in court, who entered the back of the car and held the car’s gear selector in “park”. Despite this, Doyle kept his foot on the accelerator, according to evidence.
In his police interview, Doyle stated he reacted in a “blind panic” because he feared for his life. However, the prosecution argued that the dashcam footage demonstrated the defendant “just lost his temper in his desire to get to where he wanted to get to”. It was further stated: “In a rage, he drove into the crowd and as he did so his intent was to cause serious injury.”
Dangerous Driving Prior to Incident
Footage indicated Doyle had been driving dangerously before he reached the city centre, undertaking cars at speed and running red lights. He disregarded traffic diversion measures and weaved around other vehicles, even emergency service vehicles, as he entered the crowds.
The defendant is expected to receive a prison sentence of more than 10 years at his sentencing hearing.