Man Who Ploughed Into LFC Parade Was ‘Consumed by Rage’, Court Told.
A former Royal Marines Commando acted as a “man in a rage” when he drove into dozens of Liverpool football club supporters during a championship celebration, an incident many initially feared to be a act of terrorism, according to court proceedings.
“The video is truly shocking.”
Those injured of Paul Doyle cried 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 after pleading guilty at the start of his trial last month to 31 criminal charges involving 29 victims, including eight minors.
‘Consumed by Anger’
The prosecution stated those in court that the video evidence from Doyle’s large people carrier proved to be “truly shocking”. It showed the parent yelling “fucking pricks” as well as “move out of the way” while he headed straight for a large crowd of supporters, some pulling children out of the way as his car horn blared.
The court was told that Doyle was a “individual whose anger had completely overpowered him” as he ploughed further into the crowd, speeding up while individuals were struck by his vehicle.
Extent of the Injuries
In total, the ex-marine injured 134 individuals within a mere seven-minute span – with over fifty who needed hospital treatment. An infant was “remarkably” uninjured even though he was left on the roadway after the vehicle struck his stroller, according to testimony.
A supporter, Simon Nash, was seen being launched into the air by the car, suffering a cut on 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, including an elderly woman and children who became trapped beneath the vehicle.
Celebration Descends into Chaos
Speaking to a full court, the prosecution said about 1 million people had attended “what they thought would be a day of joyfulness” to celebrate Liverpool winning their 20th league title. Scenes of jubilation swiftly became “horror”, it was said, as Doyle drove into oncoming fans as he attempted to pick up a friend who had been at the parade.
“Witnesses thought that what was taking place was a terrorist attack.”
Rampage Halted by Heroic Act
With injured people on the street, Doyle’s rampage was stopped by an ex-army member, Dan Barr, 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.
During questioning, Doyle claimed he reacted in a “blind panic” because he feared for his life. Yet, the prosecution argued that the dashcam footage demonstrated the defendant “simply lost control in his desire to get to where he wanted to get to”. The prosecutor added: “In a rage, he targeted the crowd and as he did so his intent was to cause serious injury.”
Dangerous Driving Prior to Incident
The video showed the driver had been driving dangerously before he reached the city centre, undertaking cars at speed and running red lights. He ignored road closures and bypassed other cars, including an ambulance and police cars, as he entered the crowds.
The defendant is understood to be facing a jail term of over a decade at his sentencing hearing.
