Man Who Drove Through Liverpool FC Parade Described as ‘Consumed by Rage’, Trial Told.
A former Royal Marine was a “man in a rage” as he drove into dozens of LFC fans during a championship celebration, an incident many initially feared to be a act of terrorism, according to court proceedings.
“The video was profoundly upsetting.”
Those injured of Paul Doyle cried while dashcam footage depicted bodies spinning through the air as he accelerated into crowds and shouted: “Get out of the way!”
Doyle, 54, will learn his fate 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 the court that the footage from Doyle’s two-tonne Ford Galaxy was “truly shocking”. It showed the father of three yelling “fucking pricks” and “fucking move” while he headed straight for a large crowd of supporters, with people frantically dragging children to safety as his car horn blared.
It was stated in court that Doyle was a “individual whose anger whose anger had completely taken hold of him” as he ploughed further into the crowd, speeding up as people collided with his car.
Extent of the Injuries
In total, the ex-marine hurt 134 people 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 after the vehicle struck his stroller, the court heard.
One fan, Simon Nash, was shown being thrown into the air by the car, suffering a cut to the back of his head, rib fractures and numerous scrapes.
The defendant could be heard shouting “fuck’s sake move! Get out of my path!” before ploughing further into screaming supporters, including an elderly woman and children who were dragged under the car.
Celebration Descends into Chaos
Addressing a packed courtroom, lawyers said approximately a million individuals had attended “an event they believed to be a day of joyfulness” marking Liverpool winning their 20th league title. The celebratory atmosphere turned to “horror”, the prosecutor said, as Doyle drove into oncoming fans while trying to collect a companion from the parade route.
“Witnesses thought that the events unfolding constituted a terrorist incident.”
Brave Intervention Stops Driver
As bodies lay on the ground, Doyle’s rampage was brought to a halt by a former soldier, a man identified in court, 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, the defendant stated he acted in a “state of sheer panic” due to a fear for his safety. Yet, prosecutors contended that the dashcam footage showed the defendant “simply lost control in his desire to get to where he wanted to get to”. The prosecutor added: “In a rage, he targeted the crowd and as he did so he intended to cause them serious harm.”
Reckless Behavior Before the Attack
The video indicated Doyle had been driving dangerously before he reached the city centre, overtaking cars dangerously and running red lights. He ignored road closures and bypassed other cars, including an ambulance and police cars, as he entered the crowds.
Doyle is understood to be facing a prison sentence of more than 10 years at his sentencing hearing.
