Driver That Drove Into Liverpool FC Parade Described as ‘In a Rage’, Court Hears.
An ex- Royal Marine acted as a “person consumed by fury” as he drove into dozens of LFC supporters at a victory parade, an incident many initially feared to be a act of terrorism, a court has heard.
“The footage was profoundly upsetting.”
Victims of Paul Doyle wept as video from the car’s camera depicted bodies spinning through the air as he accelerated into crowds and shouted: “Get out of the way!”
Doyle, 54, will learn his fate on Tuesday after pleading guilty on the first day of his trial last month to 31 criminal charges involving 29 victims, including eight minors.
‘Consumed by Anger’
The prosecution warned the court that the footage from Doyle’s two-tonne Ford Galaxy proved to be “truly shocking”. It showed the parent shouting “expletives” and “fucking move” while he headed straight for a large crowd of supporters, some pulling children out of the way as his car horn blared.
It was stated in court that Doyle acted as a “man in a rage had completely overpowered him” as he continued driving into the mass of people, accelerating as people collided with his car.
Scale of the Carnage
Overall, the former Royal Marine hurt 134 people within a mere seven-minute span – with over fifty requiring hospital care. An infant was “remarkably” uninjured despite being left splayed on the road 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 vehicle, sustaining a laceration to the back of his head, broken ribs and numerous scrapes.
The defendant could be heard shouting “for God’s sake move! Get out of my path!” prior to driving deeper into screaming supporters, including an elderly woman and children who became trapped beneath the vehicle.
Scene of Jubilation Turns to Horror
Addressing a packed courtroom, lawyers said about 1 million people had attended “what they thought would be a day of joyfulness” to celebrate the football club’s championship win. The celebratory atmosphere turned to “terror”, it was said, when the driver entered the crowd while trying to collect a companion who had been at the parade.
“Some at the scene believed what was taking place constituted a terrorist incident.”
Rampage Halted by Heroic Act
As bodies lay on the ground, the vehicle’s path was brought to a halt by a former soldier, Dan Barr, who climbed into a rear passenger seat and forced the gearstick into park. Despite this, Doyle continued pressing the gas pedal, the court heard.
During questioning, the defendant claimed he acted in a “blind panic” due to a fear for his safety. Yet, the prosecution argued that the dashcam footage demonstrated Doyle “just lost his temper in his desire to get to where he wanted to get to”. It was further stated: “Consumed by anger, he targeted the crowd and as he did so his intent was to cause serious injury.”
Dangerous Driving Prior to Incident
Footage indicated the driver was driving recklessly before he reached the city centre, overtaking cars dangerously and running red lights. He ignored road closures and weaved around other vehicles, even emergency service vehicles, as he approached the packed streets.
The defendant is expected to receive a jail term of over a decade at his sentencing hearing.
