Man Who Ploughed Into LFC Victory Parade Was ‘Consumed by Rage’, Trial Hears.
An ex- Royal Marines Commando acted as a “person consumed by fury” as he drove into scores of LFC supporters at a championship celebration, in what many feared was a terrorist attack, a court has heard.
“The footage was profoundly upsetting.”
Victims of Paul Doyle cried as dashcam footage depicted bodies spinning through the air as he accelerated into crowds and shouted: “Get out of the way!”
Doyle, 54, is due to be sentenced on Tuesday after pleading guilty at the start of his trial last month to 31 offences against 29 victims, including eight minors.
‘A Man in a Rage’
Prosecutors warned the court that the video evidence from the defendant’s two-tonne Ford Galaxy proved to be “extremely graphic”. The recording revealed the parent shouting “fucking pricks” as well as “fucking move” as he drove towards a large crowd of supporters, with people frantically dragging children to safety as he blasted the horn.
The court was told that Doyle was a “man in a rage whose anger had completely taken hold of him” as he ploughed further into the crowd, accelerating while individuals were struck by his vehicle.
Scale of the Carnage
Overall, the ex-marine injured 134 individuals within a mere seven-minute span – with over fifty requiring hospital care. A six-month-old boy was “miraculously” unharmed despite being left splayed on the road when Doyle’s car hit his pram, the court heard.
One fan, Simon Nash, was seen being launched into the air by the car, suffering a laceration on his head, rib fractures and multiple abrasions.
The defendant could be heard shouting “for God’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
Speaking to a full court, the prosecution said about 1 million people were present at “an event they believed to be a day of joyfulness” to celebrate Liverpool winning their 20th league title. Scenes of jubilation turned to “terror”, it was said, as Doyle drove into oncoming fans as he attempted to pick up a friend who had been at the parade.
“Some at the scene believed what was taking place constituted a terrorist incident.”
Rampage Halted by Heroic Act
With injured people on the street, the vehicle’s path was stopped by a former soldier, Dan Barr, who climbed into a rear passenger seat and held the car’s gear selector in “park”. Despite this, Doyle continued pressing the gas pedal, according to evidence.
In his police interview, the defendant claimed he reacted in a “blind panic” because he feared for his life. Yet, prosecutors contended that the video demonstrated the defendant “simply lost control in his determination to reach his destination”. The prosecutor added: “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 showed the driver had been driving dangerously prior to entering downtown, overtaking cars dangerously and jumping red lights. He disregarded traffic diversion measures and weaved around other vehicles, including an ambulance and police cars, as he entered the crowds.
Doyle is expected to receive a prison sentence of over a decade when he is sentenced on Tuesday.
