Driver That Drove Through Liverpool FC Victory Parade Described as ‘Consumed by Rage’, Court Hears.
An ex- Royal Marine acted as a “man in a rage” when he mowed down dozens of LFC fans at a championship celebration, an incident many initially feared to be a terrorist attack, according to court proceedings.
“The footage is profoundly upsetting.”
Victims of Paul Doyle wept as dashcam footage depicted people being thrown into the air while he sped towards the gathering and shouted: “Get out of the way!”
Doyle, 54, is due to be sentenced on Tuesday after pleading guilty at the start of his trial last month to 31 criminal charges involving 21 adults and eight children.
‘Consumed by Anger’
Prosecutors stated the court that the footage from the defendant’s two-tonne Ford Galaxy proved to be “truly shocking”. The recording revealed the parent yelling “expletives” as well as “move out of the way” while he headed straight for hundreds of fans, with people frantically dragging children to safety as his car horn blared.
It was stated in court that Doyle acted as a “man in a rage whose anger had completely taken hold of him” as he ploughed further into the crowd, speeding up while individuals were struck by his vehicle.
Extent of the Injuries
In total, the ex-marine hurt 134 individuals within a mere seven-minute span – including more than 50 who needed hospital treatment. A six-month-old boy was “miraculously” uninjured despite being left splayed on the road when Doyle’s car hit his pram, the court heard.
One fan, a man named in court, was seen being launched into the air by the car, suffering a cut on his head, rib fractures and numerous scrapes.
Doyle could be heard shouting “fuck’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
Speaking to a full court, lawyers said about 1 million people had attended “what they thought would be a joyous occasion” to celebrate Liverpool winning their 20th league title. Scenes of jubilation swiftly became “horror”, it was said, as Doyle drove into oncoming fans as he attempted to pick up a friend who had been at the parade.
“Witnesses thought that what was taking place constituted a terrorist incident.”
Brave Intervention Stops Driver
As bodies lay on the ground, 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”. Even then, Doyle kept his foot on the accelerator, the court heard.
During questioning, Doyle stated he reacted in a “blind panic” because he feared for his life. However, prosecutors contended that the video showed Doyle “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 as he did so his intent was to cause serious injury.”
Dangerous Driving Prior to Incident
The video showed Doyle had been driving dangerously before he reached the city centre, undertaking cars at speed and jumping red lights. He disregarded traffic diversion measures and weaved around other cars, even emergency service vehicles, as he entered the crowds.
The defendant is understood to be facing a jail term of over a decade when he is sentenced on Tuesday.
