Man Who Drove Through Liverpool FC Victory Parade Was ‘Consumed by Rage’, Court Told.
A former Royal Marine was a “person consumed by fury” when he drove into dozens of LFC supporters at a victory parade, an incident many initially feared to be a terrorist attack, a court has heard.
“The footage is profoundly upsetting.”
Victims of Paul Doyle wept while dashcam footage showed people being thrown into the air while he sped towards the gathering while screaming: “Get out of the way!”
The 54-year-old defendant will learn his fate on Tuesday following his guilty plea on the first day of his trial last month to 31 criminal charges involving 21 adults and eight children.
‘Consumed by Anger’
The prosecution warned the court that the footage from the defendant’s two-tonne Ford Galaxy proved to be “extremely graphic”. 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.
The court was told that Doyle acted as a “man in a rage had completely overpowered him” as he continued driving into the mass of people, accelerating while individuals were struck by his vehicle.
Scale of the Carnage
In total, the ex-marine injured 134 people within a mere seven-minute span – including more than 50 who needed hospital treatment. A six-month-old boy was “miraculously” uninjured even though he was left on the roadway when Doyle’s car hit his pram, according to testimony.
One fan, Simon Nash, was seen being launched into the air by the vehicle, suffering a laceration to the back of his head, broken ribs and multiple abrasions.
Doyle was heard screaming “fuck’s sake move! Get out my fucking way!” before ploughing further into screaming supporters, among them an older woman and young children who became trapped beneath the vehicle.
Scene of Jubilation Turns to Horror
Addressing a packed courtroom, the prosecution said about 1 million people were present at “what they thought would be a joyous occasion” to celebrate Liverpool winning their 20th league title. The celebratory atmosphere turned to “terror”, the prosecutor 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 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, Dan Barr, who entered the back of the car and forced the gearstick into park. Despite this, Doyle continued pressing the gas pedal, the court heard.
During questioning, Doyle claimed he acted in a “state of sheer panic” due to a fear for his safety. Yet, the prosecution argued that the video demonstrated Doyle “just lost his temper in his desire to get to where he wanted to get to”. The prosecutor added: “Consumed by anger, he drove into the crowd and as he did so his intent was to cause serious injury.”
Dangerous Driving Prior to Incident
The video indicated Doyle was driving recklessly prior to entering downtown, undertaking cars at speed and running red lights. He ignored traffic diversion measures and bypassed other cars, including an ambulance and police cars, as he approached the packed streets.
Doyle is understood to be facing a prison sentence of over a decade at his sentencing hearing.
