Driver Who Drove Into Liverpool FC Parade Was ‘In a Rage’, Court Told.
A former Royal Marines Commando was a “man in a rage” when he mowed down dozens of Liverpool football club fans at a championship celebration, an incident many initially feared to be a terrorist attack, a court has heard.
“The video is profoundly upsetting.”
Victims of Paul Doyle cried while video from the car’s camera depicted bodies spinning through the air as he accelerated into crowds while screaming: “Fucking hell, move!”
Doyle, 54, will learn his fate on Tuesday after pleading guilty on the first day of his trial last month to 31 offences involving 21 adults and eight children.
‘Consumed by Anger’
The prosecution warned those in court that the video evidence from Doyle’s two-tonne Ford Galaxy proved to be “truly shocking”. The recording revealed the father of three shouting “expletives” and “move out of the way” as he drove towards hundreds of fans, some pulling children out of the way as he blasted the horn.
The court was told that Doyle was a “individual whose anger had completely overpowered him” as he continued driving into the mass of people, accelerating as people collided with his car.
Scale of the Carnage
In total, 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, the court heard.
One fan, a man named in court, was seen being launched into the air by the vehicle, suffering a laceration on his head, broken ribs 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 were present at “what they thought would be a day of joyfulness” to celebrate the football club’s championship win. The celebratory atmosphere swiftly became “horror”, 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 the events unfolding was a terrorist attack.”
Brave Intervention Stops Driver
As bodies lay on the ground, the vehicle’s path was brought to a halt by a former soldier, Dan Barr, who entered the back of the car and held the car’s gear selector in “park”. Even then, Doyle kept his foot on the accelerator, according to evidence.
During questioning, Doyle claimed he reacted in a “blind panic” because he feared for his life. However, prosecutors contended 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 drove into 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, undertaking cars at speed and running red lights. He disregarded road closures and weaved around other vehicles, including an ambulance and police cars, as he entered the crowds.
The defendant is understood to be facing a jail term of more than 10 years at his sentencing hearing.
