Man That Drove Through LFC Parade Described as ‘In a Rage’, Court Told.
An ex- Royal Marine was a “person consumed by fury” when he mowed down scores of LFC fans at a championship celebration, an incident many initially feared to be a terrorist attack, a court has heard.
“The footage is profoundly upsetting.”
Those injured of Paul Doyle wept as dashcam footage showed people being thrown into the air as he accelerated into crowds while screaming: “Get out of the way!”
The 54-year-old defendant is due to be sentenced on Tuesday after pleading guilty on the first day of his trial last month to 31 offences involving 21 adults and eight children.
‘A Man in a Rage’
The prosecution warned those in court that the footage from Doyle’s two-tonne Ford Galaxy proved to be “truly shocking”. The recording revealed the parent yelling “fucking pricks” as well as “fucking move” as he drove towards a large crowd of supporters, some pulling children out of the way 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, accelerating as people collided with his car.
Scale of the Carnage
Overall, the ex-marine injured 134 individuals in just seven minutes – with over fifty requiring hospital care. An infant was “remarkably” uninjured even though he was left on the roadway when Doyle’s car hit his pram, according to testimony.
One fan, Simon Nash, was shown being thrown into the air by the car, sustaining a cut to the back of his head, broken ribs and numerous scrapes.
Doyle was heard screaming “for God’s sake move! Get out my fucking way!” prior to driving deeper into screaming supporters, 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 “an event they believed to be a day of joyfulness” to celebrate the football club’s championship win. Scenes of jubilation turned to “terror”, 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 brought to a halt by a former soldier, a man identified in court, who climbed into a rear passenger seat and held the car’s gear selector in “park”. Even then, Doyle kept his foot on the accelerator, the court heard.
During questioning, the defendant claimed he acted in a “blind panic” because he feared for his life. However, prosecutors contended that the video demonstrated Doyle “simply lost control in his determination to reach his destination”. It was further stated: “Consumed by anger, he targeted the crowd and as he did so he intended to cause them serious harm.”
Dangerous Driving Prior to Incident
Footage indicated Doyle was driving recklessly before he reached the city centre, undertaking cars at speed and running red lights. He disregarded road closures and bypassed other vehicles, even emergency service vehicles, as he approached the packed streets.
The defendant is expected to receive a prison sentence of more than 10 years at his sentencing hearing.
