Driver Who Drove Into LFC Parade Was ‘In a Rage’, Court Told.
An ex- Royal Marines Commando acted as a “person consumed by fury” when he drove into dozens of Liverpool football club fans during a championship celebration, an incident many initially feared to be a terrorist attack, according to court proceedings.
“The video was profoundly upsetting.”
Those injured of Paul Doyle wept while dashcam footage depicted bodies spinning through the air as he accelerated into crowds 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.
‘A Man in a Rage’
Prosecutors stated the court that the video evidence from Doyle’s large people carrier proved to be “truly shocking”. The recording revealed the father of three yelling “expletives” and “move out of the way” 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 acted as a “man in a rage 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 – including more than 50 who needed hospital treatment. An infant was “miraculously” uninjured even though he was left on the roadway when Doyle’s car hit his pram, the court heard.
One fan, Simon Nash, was shown being thrown into the air by the vehicle, suffering a laceration to the back of his head, broken ribs and numerous scrapes.
Doyle could be heard shouting “for God’s sake move! Get out of my path!” prior to driving deeper into panicked fans, including an elderly woman and children who were dragged under the car.
Celebration Descends into Chaos
Addressing a packed courtroom, the prosecution said about 1 million people were present at “what they thought would be a day of joyfulness” to celebrate the football club’s championship win. Scenes of jubilation turned to “terror”, the prosecutor said, when the driver entered the crowd while trying to collect a companion from the parade route.
“Some at the scene believed what was taking place was a terrorist attack.”
Rampage Halted by Heroic Act
With injured people on the street, the vehicle’s path was brought to a halt by an ex-army member, a man identified in court, who entered the back of the car and forced the gearstick into park. Even then, Doyle kept his foot on the accelerator, according to evidence.
During questioning, the defendant claimed he reacted in a “state of sheer panic” because he feared for his life. Yet, the prosecution argued that the video demonstrated Doyle “simply lost control 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 showed the driver had been driving dangerously before he reached the city centre, overtaking cars dangerously and jumping red lights. He ignored traffic diversion measures and weaved around other vehicles, even emergency service vehicles, as he approached the packed streets.
The defendant is expected to receive a jail term of more than 10 years at his sentencing hearing.
