Man Who Ploughed Into LFC Parade Was ‘In a Rage’, Trial Hears.
An ex- Royal Marine was a “man in a rage” as he drove into scores of LFC fans during a championship celebration, in what many feared was a terrorist attack, according to court proceedings.
“The video was profoundly upsetting.”
Victims of Paul Doyle cried while video from the car’s camera depicted bodies spinning through the air while he sped towards the gathering while screaming: “Fucking hell, move!”
Doyle, 54, is due to be sentenced on Tuesday following his guilty plea at the start of his trial last month to 31 criminal charges against 29 victims, including eight minors.
‘Consumed by Anger’
The prosecution stated those in court that the video evidence from the defendant’s two-tonne Ford Galaxy proved to be “extremely graphic”. The recording revealed the father of three yelling “expletives” and “move out of the way” while he headed straight for hundreds of fans, some pulling children out of the way as his car horn blared.
The court was told that Doyle acted as a “man in a rage whose anger had completely taken hold of him” as he continued driving into the mass of people, speeding up as people collided with his car.
Extent of the Injuries
Overall, the former Royal Marine hurt 134 people within a mere seven-minute span – with over fifty requiring hospital care. A six-month-old boy was “miraculously” uninjured even though he was left on the roadway after the vehicle struck his stroller, according to testimony.
A supporter, Simon Nash, was shown being thrown into the air by the car, suffering a laceration to the back of his head, rib fractures and multiple abrasions.
Doyle was heard screaming “for God’s sake move! Get out of my path!” before ploughing further into panicked fans, among them an older woman and young children who became trapped beneath the vehicle.
Celebration Descends into Chaos
Addressing a packed courtroom, the prosecution said about 1 million people had attended “what they thought would be a day of joyfulness” marking Liverpool winning their 20th league title. The celebratory atmosphere swiftly became “horror”, it was said, when the driver entered the crowd while trying to collect a companion who had been at the parade.
“Some at the scene believed the events unfolding constituted a terrorist incident.”
Brave Intervention Stops Driver
With injured people on the street, the vehicle’s path was stopped by a former soldier, a man identified in court, who climbed into a rear passenger seat and held the car’s gear selector in “park”. Despite this, Doyle kept his foot on the accelerator, the court heard.
During questioning, the defendant claimed he reacted in a “blind panic” because he feared for his life. However, prosecutors contended that the video showed Doyle “simply lost control in his determination to reach his destination”. It was further stated: “Consumed by anger, he targeted the crowd and as he did so he intended to cause them serious harm.”
Dangerous Driving Prior to Incident
The video showed the driver had been driving dangerously prior to entering downtown, overtaking cars dangerously and running red lights. He ignored traffic diversion measures and bypassed other cars, including an ambulance and police cars, as he entered the crowds.
Doyle is understood to be facing a jail term of more than 10 years when he is sentenced on Tuesday.
