Man That Ploughed Into LFC Victory Parade Was ‘Consumed by Rage’, Trial Hears.
An ex- Royal Marines Commando acted as a “man in a rage” when he drove into dozens of Liverpool football club fans at a victory parade, in what many feared was a act of terrorism, according to court proceedings.
“The video was deeply disturbing.”
Those injured of Paul Doyle cried while video from the car’s camera showed people being thrown into the air while he sped towards the gathering while screaming: “Get out of the way!”
Doyle, 54, is due to be sentenced on Tuesday following his guilty plea on the first day of his trial last month to 31 criminal charges against 29 victims, including eight minors.
‘A Man in a Rage’
Prosecutors stated the court that the footage from Doyle’s large people carrier was “truly shocking”. It showed the parent yelling “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.
It was stated in court that Doyle acted as a “individual whose anger 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
In total, the former Royal Marine hurt 134 individuals in just seven minutes – including more than 50 who needed hospital treatment. A six-month-old boy was “remarkably” 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 car, sustaining a laceration on his head, rib fractures and multiple abrasions.
The defendant was heard screaming “fuck’s sake move! Get out of my path!” prior to driving deeper into panicked fans, among them an older woman and young children who became trapped beneath the vehicle.
Celebration Descends into Chaos
Speaking to a full court, the prosecution said about 1 million people were present at “what they thought would be a joyous occasion” marking Liverpool winning their 20th league title. The celebratory atmosphere turned to “horror”, it was said, as Doyle drove into oncoming fans as he attempted to pick up a friend who had been at the parade.
“Some at the scene believed what was taking place was a terrorist attack.”
Brave Intervention Stops Driver
As bodies lay on the ground, Doyle’s rampage was brought to a halt by an ex-army member, Dan Barr, who climbed into a rear passenger seat and forced the gearstick into park. Even then, Doyle continued pressing the gas pedal, the court heard.
During questioning, the defendant claimed he acted in a “blind panic” due to a fear for his safety. Yet, the prosecution argued that the video showed the defendant “just lost his temper in his desire to get to where he wanted to get to”. It was further stated: “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 the driver was driving recklessly before he reached the city centre, overtaking cars dangerously and running red lights. He disregarded traffic diversion measures and bypassed other vehicles, even emergency service vehicles, as he entered the crowds.
Doyle is expected to receive a jail term of more than 10 years when he is sentenced on Tuesday.
