Man Who Drove Through LFC Parade Described as ‘Consumed by Rage’, Court Hears.
A former Royal Marines Commando was a “man in a rage” when he drove into scores of Liverpool football club fans at a victory parade, in what many feared was a terrorist attack, according to court proceedings.
“The footage is profoundly upsetting.”
Victims of Paul Doyle wept while dashcam footage depicted people being thrown into 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 offences against 21 adults and eight children.
‘A Man in a Rage’
The prosecution warned the court that the footage from Doyle’s two-tonne Ford Galaxy was “extremely graphic”. It showed the father of three 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 ploughed further into the crowd, accelerating as people collided with his car.
Scale of the Carnage
In total, the ex-marine hurt 134 people within a mere seven-minute span – with over fifty 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.
A supporter, Simon Nash, was shown being thrown into the air by the car, sustaining a cut to the back of his head, broken ribs and multiple abrasions.
The defendant could be heard shouting “for God’s sake move! Get out of my path!” prior to driving deeper into screaming supporters, including an elderly woman and 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 day of joyfulness” marking Liverpool winning their 20th league title. The celebratory atmosphere turned to “terror”, it was 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 the events unfolding was a terrorist attack.”
Rampage Halted by Heroic Act
As bodies lay on the ground, Doyle’s rampage was stopped by an ex-army member, a man identified in court, who entered the back of the car and held the car’s gear selector in “park”. Despite this, Doyle continued pressing the gas pedal, according to evidence.
In his police interview, Doyle stated he reacted in a “blind panic” due to a fear for his safety. However, the prosecution argued that the dashcam footage showed Doyle “just lost his temper in his desire to get to where he wanted to get to”. The prosecutor added: “In a rage, he drove into the crowd and as he did so he intended to cause them serious harm.”
Dangerous Driving Prior to Incident
The video showed the driver was driving recklessly before he reached the city centre, overtaking cars dangerously and running red lights. He disregarded road closures and weaved around other vehicles, even emergency service vehicles, as he entered the crowds.
The defendant is understood to be facing a prison sentence of more than 10 years when he is sentenced on Tuesday.
