Driver That Drove Into LFC Victory Parade Was ‘Consumed by Rage’, Trial Hears.
A former Royal Marine acted as a “person consumed by fury” when he mowed down dozens of LFC fans at a victory parade, in what many feared was a terrorist attack, a court has heard.
“The footage is profoundly upsetting.”
Victims of Paul Doyle wept while video from the car’s camera showed bodies spinning through the air as he accelerated into crowds while screaming: “Fucking hell, move!”
The 54-year-old defendant is due to be sentenced on Tuesday after pleading guilty at the start of his trial last month to 31 offences involving 29 victims, including eight minors.
‘Consumed by Anger’
The prosecution stated those in court that the footage from Doyle’s large people carrier proved to be “extremely graphic”. It showed the father of three shouting “fucking pricks” and “fucking move” as he drove towards hundreds of fans, with people frantically dragging children to safety as he blasted the horn.
The court was told that Doyle was a “man in a rage whose anger had completely taken hold of him” as he ploughed further into the crowd, speeding up as people collided with his car.
Extent of the Injuries
In total, the ex-marine hurt 134 individuals in just seven minutes – with over fifty requiring hospital care. A six-month-old boy was “remarkably” unharmed despite being left splayed on the road when Doyle’s car hit his pram, according to testimony.
A supporter, Simon Nash, was seen being launched into the air by the vehicle, sustaining a cut on his head, broken ribs and numerous scrapes.
Doyle was heard screaming “fuck’s sake move! Get out my fucking way!” prior to driving deeper into screaming supporters, including an elderly woman and children who became trapped beneath the vehicle.
Celebration Descends into Chaos
Addressing a packed courtroom, lawyers said approximately a million individuals were present at “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, as Doyle drove into oncoming fans while trying to collect a companion who had been at the parade.
“Witnesses believed the events unfolding was a terrorist attack.”
Brave Intervention Stops Driver
With injured people on the street, the vehicle’s path was stopped by an ex-army member, a man identified in court, who climbed into a rear passenger seat and forced the gearstick into park. Even then, Doyle kept his foot on the accelerator, the court heard.
During questioning, the defendant stated he reacted in a “state of sheer panic” due to a fear for his safety. However, prosecutors contended that the dashcam footage demonstrated the defendant “simply lost control in his determination to reach his destination”. The prosecutor added: “Consumed by anger, he targeted the crowd and in doing so his intent was to cause serious injury.”
Dangerous Driving Prior to Incident
The video indicated Doyle had been driving dangerously before he reached the city centre, overtaking cars dangerously and jumping red lights. He ignored road closures and bypassed other cars, including an ambulance and police cars, as he approached the packed streets.
The defendant is understood to be facing a jail term of more than 10 years when he is sentenced on Tuesday.
