Driver Who Drove Through Liverpool FC Victory Parade Described as ‘In a Rage’, Court Hears.
A former Royal Marine acted as a “person consumed by fury” when he mowed down scores of LFC supporters at a victory parade, an incident many initially feared to be a act of terrorism, a court has heard.
“The video was profoundly upsetting.”
Those injured of Paul Doyle wept as dashcam footage showed bodies spinning through the air while he sped towards the gathering 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.
‘Consumed by Anger’
Prosecutors stated the court that the video evidence from Doyle’s large people carrier was “extremely graphic”. The recording revealed the father of three shouting “expletives” and “fucking move” while he headed straight for hundreds of fans, with people frantically dragging children to safety as his car horn blared.
The court was told that Doyle was a “man in a rage whose anger had completely taken hold of him” as he continued driving into the mass of people, speeding up as people collided with his car.
Scale of the Carnage
In total, the ex-marine hurt 134 individuals in just seven minutes – with over fifty who needed hospital treatment. A six-month-old boy was “remarkably” unharmed despite being left splayed on the road when Doyle’s car hit his pram, the court heard.
One fan, a man named in court, was seen being launched into the air by the vehicle, suffering a laceration to the back of his head, broken ribs and numerous scrapes.
The defendant could be heard shouting “fuck’s sake move! Get out of my path!” before ploughing further into screaming supporters, including an elderly woman and children who became trapped beneath the vehicle.
Scene of Jubilation Turns to Horror
Speaking to a full court, the prosecution said approximately a million individuals were present at “what they thought would be a day of joyfulness” marking the football club’s championship win. Scenes of jubilation turned to “terror”, the prosecutor said, when the driver entered the crowd 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 stopped by a former soldier, Dan Barr, who climbed into a rear passenger seat and forced the gearstick into park. Despite this, Doyle kept his foot on the accelerator, the court heard.
In his police interview, Doyle stated he reacted in a “blind panic” because he feared for his life. However, prosecutors contended that the video showed Doyle “just lost his temper in his desire to get to where he wanted to get to”. It was further stated: “In a rage, he targeted the crowd and in doing so he intended to cause them serious harm.”
Dangerous Driving Prior to Incident
Footage indicated the driver was driving recklessly prior to entering downtown, overtaking cars dangerously and jumping red lights. He ignored road closures and weaved around other cars, even emergency service vehicles, as he entered the crowds.
The defendant is understood to be facing a prison sentence of over a decade when he is sentenced on Tuesday.
