Man Who Drove Through Liverpool FC Victory Parade Was ‘Consumed by Rage’, Court Hears.
An ex- Royal Marines Commando acted as a “person consumed by fury” as he drove into scores of LFC supporters at a championship celebration, an incident many initially feared to be a terrorist attack, according to court proceedings.
“The footage was deeply disturbing.”
Those injured of Paul Doyle cried as dashcam footage depicted people being thrown into the air while he sped towards the gathering while screaming: “Fucking hell, move!”
Doyle, 54, will learn his fate on Tuesday after pleading guilty on the first day of his trial last month to 31 offences involving 29 victims, including eight minors.
‘Consumed by Anger’
Prosecutors stated the court that the video evidence from the defendant’s two-tonne Ford Galaxy proved to be “truly shocking”. It showed the parent shouting “expletives” and “fucking move” as he drove towards hundreds of fans, 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 continued driving into the mass of people, accelerating as people collided with his car.
Extent of the Injuries
In total, the ex-marine hurt 134 individuals within a mere seven-minute span – including more than 50 requiring hospital care. A six-month-old boy was “miraculously” unharmed even though he was left on the roadway when Doyle’s car hit his pram, according to testimony.
One fan, a man named in court, was shown being thrown into the air by the vehicle, suffering a laceration on his head, broken ribs and numerous scrapes.
The defendant could be heard shouting “for God’s sake move! Get out my fucking way!” before ploughing further into panicked fans, among them an older woman and young children who were dragged under the car.
Celebration Descends into Chaos
Speaking to a full court, lawyers said about 1 million people had attended “an event they believed to be a day of joyfulness” to celebrate the football club’s championship win. The celebratory atmosphere turned to “terror”, it was said, when the driver entered the crowd as he attempted to pick up a friend who had been at the parade.
“Some at the scene thought that what was taking place constituted a terrorist incident.”
Rampage Halted by Heroic Act
With injured people on the street, Doyle’s rampage was brought to a halt by a former soldier, Dan Barr, who entered the back of the car and forced the gearstick into park. Despite this, Doyle kept his foot on the accelerator, according to evidence.
In his police interview, Doyle claimed he reacted in a “blind panic” due to a fear for his safety. However, the prosecution argued that the video showed the defendant “just lost his temper in his determination to reach his destination”. The prosecutor added: “In a rage, he drove into the crowd and as he did so he intended to cause them serious harm.”
Dangerous Driving Prior to Incident
The video indicated the driver had been driving dangerously prior to entering downtown, overtaking cars dangerously and jumping red lights. He disregarded traffic diversion measures and bypassed other vehicles, including an ambulance and police cars, as he approached the packed streets.
Doyle is understood to be facing a prison sentence of over a decade at his sentencing hearing.
