Man Who Drove Through LFC Parade Described as ‘Consumed by Rage’, Court Hears.
An ex- Royal Marines Commando acted as a “person consumed by fury” as he mowed down dozens of LFC supporters during a championship celebration, in what many feared was a act of terrorism, a court has heard.
“The footage is deeply disturbing.”
Those injured of Paul Doyle wept as dashcam footage showed people being thrown into the air as he accelerated into crowds while screaming: “Fucking hell, move!”
The 54-year-old defendant will learn his fate on Tuesday following his guilty plea 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 large people carrier was “extremely graphic”. The recording revealed the father of three shouting “fucking pricks” as well as “fucking move” while he headed straight for a large crowd of supporters, with people frantically dragging children to safety 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 ploughed further into the crowd, speeding up as people collided with his car.
Extent of the Injuries
Overall, the former Royal Marine hurt 134 individuals in just seven minutes – with over fifty requiring hospital care. A six-month-old boy was “miraculously” unharmed even though he was left on the roadway after the vehicle struck his stroller, according to testimony.
A supporter, a man named in court, was seen being launched into the air by the car, sustaining a cut to the back of his head, rib fractures and numerous scrapes.
The defendant was heard screaming “for God’s sake move! Get out of my path!” 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 had attended “an event they believed to be a joyous occasion” to celebrate Liverpool winning their 20th league title. Scenes of jubilation swiftly became “horror”, it was said, as Doyle drove into oncoming fans while trying to collect a companion who had been at the parade.
“Some at the scene thought that the events unfolding constituted a terrorist incident.”
Rampage Halted by Heroic Act
As bodies lay on the ground, Doyle’s rampage 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 kept his foot on the accelerator, the court heard.
During questioning, the defendant claimed he reacted in a “state of sheer panic” due to a fear for his safety. However, prosecutors contended that the dashcam footage showed Doyle “simply lost control in his desire to get to where he wanted to get to”. The prosecutor added: “In a rage, he drove into the crowd and as he did so his intent was to cause serious injury.”
Reckless Behavior Before the Attack
Footage showed Doyle was driving recklessly prior to entering downtown, undertaking cars at speed and running red lights. He ignored road closures and weaved around other vehicles, even emergency service vehicles, 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.
