Man That Drove Through Liverpool FC Parade Described as ‘Consumed by Rage’, Trial Hears.
An ex- Royal Marines Commando was a “person consumed by fury” as he mowed down dozens of Liverpool football club fans during a championship celebration, an incident many initially feared to be a act of terrorism, according to court proceedings.
“The footage was truly shocking.”
Victims of Paul Doyle wept as video from the car’s camera showed people being thrown into the air while he sped towards the gathering while screaming: “Fucking hell, move!”
Doyle, 54, is due to be sentenced on Tuesday after pleading guilty at the start of his trial last month to 31 criminal charges against 21 adults and eight children.
‘Consumed by Anger’
Prosecutors warned the court that the footage from the defendant’s large people carrier proved to be “extremely graphic”. It showed the father of three yelling “expletives” and “fucking move” as he drove towards hundreds of fans, some pulling children out of the way as he blasted the horn.
It was stated in court that Doyle acted as a “man in a rage whose anger had completely taken hold of him” as he continued driving into the mass of people, accelerating as people collided with his car.
Scale of the Carnage
In total, the former Royal Marine injured 134 individuals within a mere seven-minute span – including more than 50 who needed hospital treatment. An infant was “remarkably” uninjured despite being left splayed on the road after the vehicle struck his stroller, according to testimony.
One fan, Simon Nash, was seen being launched into the air by the vehicle, suffering a cut on his head, rib fractures and numerous scrapes.
The defendant was heard screaming “fuck’s sake move! Get out my fucking way!” before ploughing further into panicked fans, among them an older woman and young children who became trapped beneath the vehicle.
Celebration Descends into Chaos
Addressing a packed courtroom, the prosecution said approximately a million individuals had attended “what they thought would be a day of joyfulness” marking Liverpool winning their 20th league title. The celebratory atmosphere turned to “horror”, it was said, when the driver entered the crowd while trying to collect a companion from the parade route.
“Some at the scene believed what was taking place was a terrorist attack.”
Rampage Halted by Heroic Act
As bodies lay on the ground, the vehicle’s path was stopped by a former soldier, 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.
In his police interview, the defendant claimed he acted in a “state of sheer panic” because he feared for his life. Yet, prosecutors contended that the dashcam footage showed the defendant “just lost his temper in his desire to get to where he wanted to get to”. The prosecutor added: “In a rage, he drove into the crowd and in doing so he intended to cause them serious harm.”
Dangerous Driving Prior to Incident
The video indicated the driver had been driving dangerously prior to entering downtown, undertaking cars at speed and running red lights. He ignored road closures and bypassed other vehicles, even emergency service vehicles, as he approached the packed streets.
Doyle is expected to receive a prison sentence of more than 10 years at his sentencing hearing.