Driver Who Ploughed Into Liverpool FC Parade Was ‘Consumed by Rage’, Court Told.
An ex- Royal Marines Commando acted as a “person consumed by fury” as he drove into scores of LFC fans at a championship celebration, in what many feared was a act of terrorism, a court has heard.
“The footage was profoundly upsetting.”
Those injured of Paul Doyle wept while video from the car’s camera depicted bodies spinning through the air as he accelerated into crowds while screaming: “Get out of the way!”
The 54-year-old defendant 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.
‘A Man in a Rage’
Prosecutors stated the court that the video evidence from the defendant’s large people carrier was “truly shocking”. The recording revealed the parent yelling “expletives” as well as “fucking move” as he drove towards a large crowd of supporters, some pulling children out of the way as his car horn blared.
The court was told that Doyle was 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
Overall, the ex-marine injured 134 people within a mere seven-minute span – with over fifty who needed hospital treatment. A six-month-old boy was “remarkably” uninjured despite being left splayed on the road after the vehicle struck his stroller, according to testimony.
One fan, Simon Nash, was shown being thrown into the air by the vehicle, suffering a laceration on his head, rib fractures and multiple abrasions.
The defendant was heard screaming “fuck’s sake move! Get out my fucking way!” 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, the prosecution said approximately a million individuals were present at “an event they believed to be a joyous occasion” to celebrate the football club’s championship win. The celebratory atmosphere swiftly became “horror”, the prosecutor said, as Doyle drove into oncoming fans while trying to collect a companion from the parade route.
“Some at the scene believed the events unfolding was a terrorist attack.”
Brave Intervention Stops Driver
As bodies lay on the ground, Doyle’s rampage was brought to a halt by a former soldier, a man identified in court, who entered the back of the car and held the car’s gear selector in “park”. Despite this, Doyle continued pressing the gas pedal, the court heard.
In his police interview, Doyle claimed he acted in a “blind panic” due to a fear for his safety. However, the prosecution argued that the video showed Doyle “simply lost control in his determination to reach his destination”. The prosecutor added: “Consumed by anger, he targeted the crowd and as he did so his intent was to cause serious injury.”
Dangerous Driving Prior to Incident
Footage indicated the driver was driving recklessly before he reached the city centre, undertaking cars at speed and running red lights. He ignored traffic diversion measures and weaved around other cars, even emergency service vehicles, as he entered the crowds.
Doyle is understood to be facing a prison sentence of over a decade at his sentencing hearing.
