Man Who Drove Into Liverpool FC Victory Parade Was ‘In a Rage’, Court Hears.
An ex- Royal Marine acted as a “person consumed by fury” as he drove into scores of LFC supporters at a victory parade, an incident many initially feared to be a terrorist attack, a court has heard.
“The video was profoundly upsetting.”
Those injured of Paul Doyle cried while dashcam footage showed bodies spinning through the air as he accelerated into crowds while screaming: “Get out of the way!”
Doyle, 54, is due to be sentenced on Tuesday after pleading guilty at the start of his trial last month to 31 offences involving 21 adults and eight children.
‘A Man in a Rage’
Prosecutors stated those in court that the footage from Doyle’s large people carrier proved to be “truly shocking”. The recording revealed the father of three 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 was a “man in a rage had completely overpowered him” as he ploughed further into the crowd, speeding up as people collided with his car.
Extent of the Injuries
In total, the former Royal Marine injured 134 individuals within a mere seven-minute span – with over fifty who needed hospital treatment. An infant was “remarkably” uninjured despite being left splayed on the road after the vehicle struck his stroller, the court heard.
A supporter, a man named in court, was shown being thrown into the air by the car, suffering a laceration to the back of his head, broken ribs and multiple abrasions.
The defendant could be heard shouting “fuck’s sake move! Get out my fucking way!” before ploughing further into panicked fans, including an elderly woman and children who were dragged under the car.
Celebration Descends into Chaos
Speaking to a full court, lawyers said approximately a million individuals had attended “what they thought would be a day of joyfulness” to celebrate Liverpool winning their 20th league title. The celebratory atmosphere swiftly became “horror”, it was said, as Doyle drove into oncoming fans as he attempted to pick up a friend who had been at the parade.
“Some at the scene thought that what was taking place was a terrorist attack.”
Brave Intervention Stops Driver
With injured people on the street, 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.
During questioning, Doyle stated he reacted in a “state of sheer panic” due to a fear for his safety. Yet, prosecutors contended that the dashcam footage showed Doyle “simply lost control in his determination to reach his destination”. The prosecutor added: “In a rage, he drove into the crowd and in doing so his intent was to cause serious injury.”
Reckless Behavior Before the Attack
Footage showed Doyle was driving recklessly before he reached the city centre, overtaking cars dangerously and running red lights. He ignored traffic diversion measures and bypassed other vehicles, including an ambulance and police cars, as he entered the crowds.
The defendant is understood to be facing a prison sentence of more than 10 years when he is sentenced on Tuesday.
