Man Who Ploughed Into LFC Victory Parade Described as ‘In a Rage’, Trial Hears.
An ex- Royal Marine was a “person consumed by fury” as he mowed down dozens of LFC supporters during a victory parade, in what many feared was a act of terrorism, a court has heard.
“The footage is deeply disturbing.”
Victims of Paul Doyle cried while video from the car’s camera showed people being thrown into the air as he accelerated into crowds and shouted: “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 those in court that the video evidence from the defendant’s two-tonne Ford Galaxy was “truly shocking”. The recording revealed the father of three yelling “fucking pricks” and “move out of the way” as he drove towards hundreds of fans, some pulling children out of the way as his car horn blared.
It was stated in court that Doyle was a “individual whose anger whose anger had completely taken hold of him” as he continued driving into the mass of people, accelerating as people collided with his car.
Extent of the Injuries
In total, the ex-marine hurt 134 individuals in just seven minutes – including more than 50 who needed hospital treatment. An infant was “remarkably” unharmed even though he was left on the roadway when Doyle’s car hit his pram, the court heard.
A supporter, Simon Nash, was seen being launched into the air by the car, sustaining a cut to the back of his head, broken ribs and multiple abrasions.
Doyle was heard screaming “fuck’s sake move! Get out of my path!” 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, the prosecution said about 1 million people had attended “what they thought would be a joyous occasion” to celebrate the football club’s championship win. Scenes of jubilation turned to “terror”, 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
With injured people on the street, the vehicle’s path was brought to a halt by a former soldier, Dan Barr, who climbed into a rear passenger seat and held the car’s gear selector in “park”. Despite this, Doyle kept his foot on the accelerator, the court heard.
In his police interview, the defendant claimed he reacted in a “state of sheer panic” because he feared for his life. Yet, prosecutors contended that the dashcam footage showed the defendant “simply lost control in his determination to reach his destination”. The prosecutor added: “In a rage, he targeted the crowd and as he did so he intended to cause them serious harm.”
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 running red lights. He ignored 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.
