Driver That Drove Into LFC Victory Parade Described as ‘Consumed by Rage’, Trial Told.
An ex- Royal Marine was a “man in a rage” when he mowed down scores of LFC fans at a championship celebration, in what many feared was a act of terrorism, a court has heard.
“The video is truly shocking.”
Victims of Paul Doyle wept as 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 will learn his fate on Tuesday after pleading guilty at the start of his trial last month to 31 criminal charges involving 29 victims, including eight minors.
‘A Man in a Rage’
The prosecution stated those in court that the video evidence from Doyle’s two-tonne Ford Galaxy proved to be “extremely graphic”. The recording revealed the parent shouting “expletives” and “move out of the way” as he drove towards hundreds of fans, some pulling children out of the way as he blasted the horn.
It was stated in court that Doyle was a “man in a rage had completely overpowered him” as he continued driving into the mass of people, accelerating as people collided with his car.
Extent of the Injuries
Overall, the ex-marine injured 134 individuals in just seven minutes – including more than 50 who needed hospital treatment. An infant was “miraculously” unharmed despite being left splayed on the road after the vehicle struck his stroller, the court heard.
A supporter, Simon Nash, was shown being thrown into the air by the vehicle, suffering a laceration to the back of his head, rib fractures and numerous scrapes.
Doyle could be heard shouting “fuck’s sake move! Get out my fucking way!” prior to driving deeper into panicked fans, including an elderly woman and children who became trapped beneath the vehicle.
Celebration Descends into Chaos
Addressing a packed courtroom, the prosecution said approximately a million individuals had attended “an event they believed to be a day of joyfulness” marking Liverpool winning their 20th league title. Scenes of jubilation turned to “terror”, 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
As bodies lay on the ground, the vehicle’s path was brought to a halt by a former soldier, a man identified in court, who climbed into a rear passenger seat 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 stated he acted in a “state of sheer panic” because he feared for his life. Yet, prosecutors contended that the video demonstrated Doyle “just lost his temper in his desire to get to where he wanted to get to”. The prosecutor added: “Consumed by anger, he drove into the crowd and in doing so his intent was to cause serious injury.”
Reckless Behavior Before the Attack
The video showed Doyle had been driving dangerously prior to entering downtown, undertaking cars at speed and jumping red lights. He ignored traffic diversion measures and weaved around other cars, even emergency service vehicles, as he approached the packed streets.
The defendant is expected to receive a jail term of over a decade when he is sentenced on Tuesday.
