Driver Who Drove Through LFC Victory Parade Described as ‘In a Rage’, Trial Told.
An ex- Royal Marine acted as a “person consumed by fury” when he drove into scores of LFC supporters during a victory parade, in what many feared was a act of terrorism, a court has heard.
“The video was profoundly upsetting.”
Victims of Paul Doyle wept as video from the car’s camera depicted bodies spinning through the air while he sped towards the gathering and shouted: “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 against 21 adults and eight children.
‘A Man in a Rage’
Prosecutors stated the court that the video evidence from Doyle’s two-tonne Ford Galaxy was “extremely graphic”. It showed the parent shouting “fucking pricks” as well as “fucking move” as he drove towards a large crowd of supporters, with people frantically dragging children to safety as he blasted the horn.
The court was told that Doyle acted as a “individual whose anger whose anger had completely taken hold of him” as he continued driving into the mass of people, accelerating while individuals were struck by his vehicle.
Scale of the Carnage
Overall, the ex-marine hurt 134 individuals within a mere seven-minute span – with over fifty requiring hospital care. A six-month-old boy was “miraculously” uninjured despite being left splayed on the road after the vehicle struck his stroller, according to testimony.
One fan, Simon Nash, was seen being launched into the air by the car, sustaining a laceration on his head, rib fractures and multiple abrasions.
The defendant could be heard shouting “fuck’s sake move! Get out of my path!” before ploughing further into panicked fans, among them an older woman and young 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 joyous occasion” marking Liverpool winning their 20th league title. The celebratory atmosphere turned to “horror”, the prosecutor said, when the driver entered the crowd as he attempted to pick up a friend from the parade route.
“Witnesses thought that the events unfolding was a terrorist attack.”
Rampage Halted by Heroic Act
With injured people on the street, the vehicle’s path was brought to a halt by an ex-army member, Dan Barr, who entered the back of the car and forced the gearstick into park. Despite this, Doyle continued pressing the gas pedal, according to evidence.
In his police interview, the defendant claimed he reacted in a “blind panic” because he feared for his life. Yet, the prosecution argued that the video demonstrated Doyle “simply lost control in his desire to get to where he wanted to get to”. The prosecutor added: “In a rage, he targeted 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, overtaking cars dangerously and running red lights. He ignored traffic diversion measures and bypassed other cars, even emergency service vehicles, as he entered the crowds.
Doyle is understood to be facing a jail term of over a decade at his sentencing hearing.
