Driver Who Drove Through Liverpool FC Parade Described as ‘Consumed by Rage’, Trial Hears.
An ex- Royal Marines Commando was a “man in a rage” as he mowed down scores of LFC fans at a championship celebration, in what many feared was a act of terrorism, according to court proceedings.
“The footage was truly shocking.”
Those injured of Paul Doyle cried while dashcam footage showed people being thrown into the air as he accelerated into crowds while screaming: “Get out of the way!”
The 54-year-old defendant 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 “extremely graphic”. The recording revealed the parent yelling “fucking pricks” as well as “move out of the way” while he headed straight for a large crowd of supporters, some pulling children out of the way as his car horn blared.
It was stated in court that Doyle was a “man in a rage 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 individuals in just seven minutes – with over fifty who needed hospital treatment. A six-month-old boy was “remarkably” unharmed despite being left splayed on the road when Doyle’s car hit his pram, according to testimony.
One fan, Simon Nash, was shown being thrown into the air by the vehicle, suffering a cut to the back of his head, broken ribs and numerous scrapes.
Doyle was heard screaming “fuck’s sake move! Get out my fucking way!” 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
Addressing a packed courtroom, lawyers said about 1 million people were present at “what they thought would be a joyous occasion” marking the football club’s championship win. Scenes of jubilation swiftly became “terror”, it was said, when the driver entered the crowd as he attempted to pick up a friend from the parade route.
“Witnesses believed the events unfolding was a terrorist attack.”
Rampage Halted by Heroic Act
As bodies lay on the ground, Doyle’s rampage was stopped by a former soldier, Dan Barr, who climbed into a rear passenger seat and forced the gearstick into park. Even then, Doyle kept his foot on the accelerator, the court heard.
During questioning, Doyle claimed he acted in a “blind panic” because he feared for his life. Yet, prosecutors contended that the dashcam footage demonstrated Doyle “simply lost control in his desire to get to where he wanted to get to”. It was further stated: “In a rage, he drove into the crowd and in doing so his intent was to cause serious injury.”
Dangerous Driving Prior to Incident
The video showed Doyle was driving recklessly prior to entering downtown, overtaking cars dangerously and jumping red lights. He disregarded traffic diversion measures and weaved around other vehicles, including an ambulance and police cars, as he approached the packed streets.
Doyle is expected to receive a jail term of more than 10 years when he is sentenced on Tuesday.
