Driver Who Drove Through Liverpool FC Victory Parade Was ‘In a Rage’, Court Hears.
An ex- Royal Marines Commando acted as a “man in a rage” as he mowed down scores of LFC supporters at a championship celebration, an incident many initially feared to be a terrorist attack, according to court proceedings.
“The video was truly shocking.”
Victims of Paul Doyle wept while video from the car’s camera showed bodies spinning through the air while he sped towards the gathering and shouted: “Get out of the way!”
Doyle, 54, is due to be sentenced on Tuesday following his guilty plea at the start of his trial last month to 31 criminal charges against 29 victims, including eight minors.
‘A Man in a Rage’
The prosecution stated those in court that the video evidence from the defendant’s large people carrier proved to be “truly shocking”. It showed the parent yelling “expletives” and “move out of the way” while he headed straight for a large crowd of supporters, with people frantically dragging children to safety as he blasted the horn.
It was stated in court that Doyle was a “individual whose anger whose anger had completely taken hold of him” as he ploughed further into the crowd, speeding up while individuals were struck by his vehicle.
Scale of the Carnage
Overall, the former Royal Marine injured 134 people in just seven minutes – including more than 50 who needed hospital treatment. A six-month-old boy was “miraculously” unharmed even though he was left on the roadway after the vehicle struck his stroller, the court heard.
One fan, a man named in court, was shown being thrown into the air by the car, suffering a laceration on his head, rib fractures and numerous scrapes.
The defendant could be heard shouting “fuck’s sake move! Get out of my path!” prior to driving deeper into screaming supporters, among them an older woman and young children who became trapped beneath the vehicle.
Celebration Descends into Chaos
Addressing a packed courtroom, lawyers said about 1 million people had attended “what they thought would be a joyous occasion” to celebrate the football club’s championship win. Scenes of jubilation turned to “horror”, it was said, as Doyle drove into oncoming fans while trying to collect a companion who had been at the parade.
“Witnesses believed what was taking place was a terrorist attack.”
Rampage Halted by Heroic Act
As bodies lay on the ground, Doyle’s rampage was brought to a halt by an ex-army member, Dan Barr, who climbed into a rear passenger seat and held the car’s gear selector in “park”. Even then, Doyle continued pressing the gas pedal, the court heard.
In his police interview, the defendant claimed he acted in a “blind panic” due to a fear for his safety. However, prosecutors contended that the video demonstrated the defendant “just lost his temper in his determination to reach his destination”. The prosecutor added: “In a rage, he targeted the crowd and in doing so his intent was to cause serious injury.”
Dangerous Driving Prior to Incident
Footage showed the driver was driving recklessly before he reached the city centre, overtaking cars dangerously and running red lights. He disregarded road closures and weaved around other vehicles, including an ambulance and police cars, as he approached the packed streets.
The defendant is understood to be facing a jail term of more than 10 years when he is sentenced on Tuesday.
