Man That Ploughed Through LFC Victory Parade Was ‘In a Rage’, Trial Hears.
An ex- Royal Marines Commando was a “man in a rage” when he drove into dozens of LFC fans at a victory parade, an incident many initially feared to be a act of terrorism, according to court proceedings.
“The video is truly shocking.”
Those injured of Paul Doyle wept while dashcam footage showed bodies spinning through the air as he accelerated into crowds while screaming: “Fucking hell, move!”
Doyle, 54, 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 those in court that the footage from Doyle’s large people carrier proved to be “truly shocking”. It showed the father of three yelling “expletives” as well as “fucking move” while he headed straight for hundreds of fans, with people frantically dragging children to safety as he blasted the horn.
It was stated in court 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 while individuals were struck by his vehicle.
Scale of the Carnage
Overall, the ex-marine hurt 134 people in just seven minutes – including more than 50 who needed hospital treatment. An infant was “miraculously” unharmed despite being left splayed on the road when Doyle’s car hit his pram, according to testimony.
One fan, Simon Nash, was seen being launched into the air by the car, suffering a cut to the back of 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, including an elderly woman and children who were dragged under the car.
Celebration Descends into Chaos
Speaking to a full court, the prosecution said about 1 million people had attended “an event they believed to be a day of joyfulness” marking Liverpool winning their 20th league title. The celebratory atmosphere turned to “horror”, the prosecutor 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.”
Rampage Halted by Heroic Act
With injured people on the street, Doyle’s rampage was brought to a halt by a former soldier, Dan Barr, who entered the back of the car and forced the gearstick into park. Even then, Doyle kept his foot on the accelerator, the court heard.
In his police interview, the defendant stated he acted in a “state of sheer panic” because he feared for his life. 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.”
Reckless Behavior Before the Attack
Footage indicated the driver had been driving dangerously before he reached the city centre, undertaking cars at speed and jumping red lights. He disregarded road closures and bypassed other vehicles, even emergency service vehicles, as he approached the packed streets.
The defendant is understood to be facing a jail term of over a decade at his sentencing hearing.
