Driver Who Drove Through Liverpool FC Victory Parade Was ‘Consumed by Rage’, Court Told.
A former Royal Marine acted as a “person consumed by fury” as he drove into scores of LFC supporters at a championship celebration, in what many feared was a act of terrorism, according to court proceedings.
“The footage is profoundly upsetting.”
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: “Fucking hell, move!”
Doyle, 54, is due to be sentenced on Tuesday following his guilty plea on the first day of his trial last month to 31 offences against 21 adults and eight children.
‘A Man in a Rage’
Prosecutors warned those in court that the video evidence from Doyle’s large people carrier proved to be “truly shocking”. The recording revealed the father of three yelling “fucking pricks” as well as “move out of the way” 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 was a “individual whose anger 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 former Royal Marine hurt 134 individuals in just seven minutes – with over fifty requiring hospital care. A six-month-old boy 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, sustaining a laceration on his head, rib fractures and numerous scrapes.
The defendant could be heard shouting “fuck’s sake move! Get out of my path!” prior to driving deeper into screaming supporters, including an elderly woman and children who became trapped beneath the vehicle.
Celebration Descends into Chaos
Addressing a packed courtroom, lawyers said approximately a million individuals had attended “what they thought would be a joyous occasion” marking the football club’s championship win. The celebratory atmosphere swiftly became “terror”, the prosecutor said, as Doyle drove into oncoming fans while trying to collect a companion who had been at the parade.
“Some at the scene believed the events unfolding was a terrorist attack.”
Brave Intervention Stops Driver
With injured people on the street, the vehicle’s path was stopped by a former soldier, Dan Barr, who entered the back of the car and held the car’s gear selector in “park”. Even then, Doyle continued pressing the gas pedal, the court heard.
In his police interview, the defendant claimed he acted in a “state of sheer panic” due to a fear for his safety. Yet, prosecutors contended that the dashcam footage showed Doyle “simply lost control 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 he intended to cause them serious harm.”
Dangerous Driving Prior to Incident
The video showed Doyle had been driving dangerously prior to entering downtown, overtaking cars dangerously and running red lights. He ignored road closures and bypassed other cars, even emergency service vehicles, as he approached the packed streets.
The defendant is expected to receive a jail term of over a decade when he is sentenced on Tuesday.
