Man That Drove Through LFC Parade Described as ‘In a Rage’, Trial Told.
An ex- Royal Marine acted as a “man in a rage” as he mowed down scores of Liverpool football club supporters at a championship celebration, an incident many initially feared to be a act of terrorism, according to court proceedings.
“The footage was truly shocking.”
Victims of Paul Doyle cried as dashcam footage showed people being thrown into the air while he sped towards the gathering while screaming: “Get out of the way!”
The 54-year-old defendant is due to be sentenced 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’
Prosecutors stated the court that the video evidence from Doyle’s large people carrier proved to be “truly shocking”. It showed the parent yelling “fucking pricks” and “move out of the way” as he drove towards a large crowd of supporters, some pulling children out of the way as he blasted the horn.
The court was told that Doyle acted as a “man in a rage had completely overpowered him” as he continued driving into the mass of people, speeding up as people collided with his car.
Extent of the Injuries
In total, the former Royal Marine injured 134 individuals in just seven minutes – including more than 50 requiring hospital care. An infant was “miraculously” unharmed despite being left splayed on the road 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 car, sustaining a cut to the back of his head, broken ribs and numerous scrapes.
The defendant could be heard shouting “for God’s sake move! Get out my fucking way!” prior to driving deeper into screaming supporters, among them an older woman and young children who were dragged under the car.
Scene of Jubilation Turns to Horror
Addressing a packed courtroom, lawyers said approximately a million individuals had attended “what they thought would be a day of joyfulness” marking the football club’s championship win. Scenes of jubilation swiftly became “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.”
Brave Intervention Stops Driver
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 held the car’s gear selector in “park”. Despite this, Doyle kept his foot on the accelerator, the court heard.
During questioning, the defendant claimed he acted in a “state of sheer panic” because he feared for his life. Yet, prosecutors contended that the dashcam footage showed Doyle “simply lost control in his desire to get to where he wanted to get to”. It was further stated: “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 showed Doyle was driving recklessly before he reached the city centre, undertaking cars at speed and jumping red lights. He ignored road closures and bypassed other vehicles, including an ambulance and police cars, as he approached the packed streets.
Doyle is understood to be facing a jail term of more than 10 years when he is sentenced on Tuesday.
