Driver That Drove Into LFC Victory Parade Was ‘In a Rage’, Trial Hears.
A former Royal Marine was a “person consumed by fury” when he mowed down scores of Liverpool football club supporters at a victory parade, in what many feared was a act of terrorism, a court has heard.
“The footage is deeply disturbing.”
Victims of Paul Doyle cried while video from the car’s camera showed people being thrown into the air as he accelerated into crowds while screaming: “Fucking hell, move!”
The 54-year-old defendant is due to be sentenced on Tuesday following his guilty plea at the start of his trial last month to 31 offences involving 29 victims, including eight minors.
‘Consumed by Anger’
The prosecution warned those in court that the video evidence from Doyle’s two-tonne Ford Galaxy was “extremely graphic”. The recording revealed the father of three yelling “expletives” as well as “fucking move” as he drove towards hundreds of fans, some pulling children out of the way as his car horn blared.
The court was told that Doyle was a “man in a rage 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.
Scale of the Carnage
Overall, the former Royal Marine injured 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, according to testimony.
A supporter, a man named in court, was seen being launched into the air by the car, sustaining a laceration on his head, rib fractures and numerous scrapes.
Doyle was heard screaming “fuck’s sake move! Get out my fucking way!” before ploughing further into screaming supporters, among them an older woman and young children who were dragged under the car.
Celebration Descends into Chaos
Addressing a packed courtroom, the prosecution said approximately a million individuals were present at “what they thought would be a day of joyfulness” to celebrate Liverpool winning their 20th league title. The celebratory atmosphere turned to “horror”, it was said, as Doyle drove into oncoming fans as he attempted to pick up a friend from the parade route.
“Some at the scene thought that the events unfolding was a terrorist attack.”
Rampage Halted by Heroic Act
With injured people on the street, Doyle’s rampage 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, the court heard.
In his police interview, Doyle claimed he acted in a “state of sheer panic” because he feared for his life. Yet, prosecutors contended that the dashcam footage demonstrated Doyle “just lost his temper in his determination to reach his destination”. The prosecutor added: “In a rage, he drove into the crowd and in doing so he intended to cause them serious harm.”
Reckless Behavior Before the Attack
The video indicated the driver was driving recklessly before he reached the city centre, undertaking cars at speed and jumping red lights. He disregarded traffic diversion measures and bypassed other vehicles, even emergency service vehicles, as he approached the packed streets.
Doyle is expected to receive a prison sentence of over a decade at his sentencing hearing.
