Man That Drove Through LFC Parade Described as ‘Consumed by Rage’, Trial Told.
An ex- Royal Marines Commando acted as a “person consumed by fury” when he drove into scores of Liverpool football club fans at a championship celebration, in what many feared was a act of terrorism, a court has heard.
“The video was deeply disturbing.”
Those injured of Paul Doyle cried as dashcam footage depicted people being thrown into the air while he sped towards the gathering and shouted: “Fucking hell, move!”
The 54-year-old defendant is due to be sentenced on Tuesday after pleading guilty on the first day of his trial last month to 31 criminal charges involving 29 victims, including eight minors.
‘Consumed by Anger’
Prosecutors stated the court that the footage from Doyle’s two-tonne Ford Galaxy proved to be “truly shocking”. It showed the father of three shouting “expletives” and “move out of the way” while he headed straight for 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 as people collided with his car.
Scale of the Carnage
Overall, the ex-marine injured 134 individuals in just seven minutes – 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.
The defendant could be heard shouting “for God’s sake move! Get out my fucking way!” prior to driving deeper 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 approximately a million individuals had attended “an event they believed to be a joyous occasion” to celebrate Liverpool winning their 20th league title. Scenes of jubilation turned to “terror”, it was said, when the driver entered the crowd as he attempted to pick up a friend from the parade route.
“Witnesses 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 brought to a halt by an ex-army member, a man identified in court, 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.
During questioning, the defendant stated he acted in a “blind panic” due to a fear for his safety. Yet, the prosecution argued that the dashcam footage showed Doyle “just lost his temper in his determination to reach his destination”. The prosecutor added: “Consumed by anger, he targeted the crowd and in doing so his intent was to cause serious injury.”
Dangerous Driving Prior to Incident
The video showed 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 entered the crowds.
The defendant is understood to be facing a jail term of more than 10 years when he is sentenced on Tuesday.
