Man Who Drove Into Liverpool FC Victory Parade Was ‘Consumed by Rage’, Trial Told.
An ex- Royal Marine acted as a “person consumed by fury” as he drove into dozens of LFC supporters during a championship celebration, an incident many initially feared to be a act of terrorism, a court has heard.
“The footage is profoundly upsetting.”
Victims of Paul Doyle cried as video from the car’s camera depicted bodies spinning through the air while he sped towards the gathering and shouted: “Get out of the way!”
Doyle, 54, will learn his fate on Tuesday following his guilty plea on the first day of his trial last month to 31 criminal charges against 21 adults and eight children.
‘A Man in a Rage’
The prosecution warned the court that the video evidence from Doyle’s two-tonne Ford Galaxy was “extremely graphic”. It showed the father of three shouting “fucking pricks” as well as “fucking move” as he drove towards a large crowd of supporters, 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 ploughed further into the crowd, speeding up as people collided with his car.
Scale of the Carnage
Overall, the former Royal Marine hurt 134 individuals within a mere seven-minute span – including more than 50 who needed hospital treatment. A six-month-old boy was “remarkably” unharmed even though he was left on the roadway after the vehicle struck his stroller, the court heard.
One fan, Simon Nash, was seen being launched into the air by the car, sustaining a cut on his head, broken ribs and numerous scrapes.
The defendant was heard screaming “fuck’s sake move! Get out of my path!” prior to driving deeper into screaming supporters, including an elderly woman and children who were dragged under the car.
Celebration Descends into Chaos
Speaking to a full court, lawyers said approximately a million individuals had attended “what they thought would be a joyous occasion” marking Liverpool winning their 20th league title. The celebratory atmosphere turned to “horror”, the prosecutor said, when the driver entered the crowd while trying to collect a companion from the parade route.
“Some at the scene thought that what was taking place was a terrorist attack.”
Rampage Halted by Heroic Act
With injured people on the street, the vehicle’s path was stopped by a former soldier, a man identified in court, who climbed into a rear passenger seat and forced the gearstick into park. Despite this, Doyle kept his foot on the accelerator, according to evidence.
In his police interview, Doyle stated he reacted in a “state of sheer panic” because he feared for his life. However, the prosecution argued that the video showed Doyle “just lost his temper in his determination to reach his destination”. The prosecutor added: “Consumed by anger, he drove into the crowd and in doing so he intended to cause them serious harm.”
Dangerous Driving Prior to Incident
The video indicated the driver had been driving dangerously before he reached the city centre, overtaking cars dangerously and running red lights. He ignored road closures and weaved around other cars, even emergency service vehicles, as he approached the packed streets.
The defendant is expected to receive a prison sentence of more than 10 years at his sentencing hearing.
