Man That Ploughed Through LFC Parade Described as ‘Consumed by Rage’, Trial Hears.
A former Royal Marine acted as a “man in a rage” when he drove into dozens of LFC supporters at a championship celebration, an incident many initially feared to be a terrorist attack, according to court proceedings.
“The footage is deeply disturbing.”
Victims of Paul Doyle cried as video from the car’s camera showed people being thrown into the air as he accelerated into crowds 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 29 victims, including eight minors.
‘A Man in a Rage’
Prosecutors stated those in court that the footage from Doyle’s two-tonne Ford Galaxy was “truly shocking”. It showed the father of three shouting “expletives” as well as “move out of the way” as he drove towards a large crowd of supporters, 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 had completely overpowered him” as he ploughed further into the crowd, accelerating as people collided with his car.
Extent of the Injuries
Overall, the former Royal Marine injured 134 individuals within a mere seven-minute span – with over fifty requiring hospital care. A six-month-old boy was “remarkably” uninjured despite being left splayed on the road when Doyle’s car hit his pram, the court heard.
One fan, a man named in court, was shown being thrown into the air by the vehicle, sustaining a laceration on his head, rib fractures and multiple abrasions.
Doyle could be heard shouting “fuck’s sake move! Get out my fucking way!” before ploughing further into screaming supporters, including an elderly woman and children who were dragged under the car.
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. Scenes of jubilation turned to “horror”, it was said, when the driver entered the crowd as he attempted to pick up a friend from the parade route.
“Witnesses believed the events unfolding was a terrorist attack.”
Brave Intervention Stops Driver
As bodies lay on the ground, 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 continued pressing the gas pedal, the court heard.
In his police interview, the defendant claimed he reacted in a “blind panic” due to a fear for his safety. Yet, prosecutors contended that the dashcam footage demonstrated 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 targeted the crowd and as he did so his intent was to cause serious injury.”
Dangerous Driving Prior to Incident
The video showed the driver had been driving dangerously before he reached the city centre, undertaking cars at speed and jumping red lights. He ignored traffic diversion measures and weaved around other vehicles, including an ambulance and police cars, as he approached the packed streets.
Doyle is expected to receive a jail term of over a decade when he is sentenced on Tuesday.