Man That Ploughed Through LFC Parade Described as ‘Consumed by Rage’, Trial Hears.
An ex- Royal Marine was a “man in a rage” as he drove into scores of LFC fans during a victory parade, in what many feared was a terrorist attack, a court has heard.
“The footage is profoundly upsetting.”
Victims of Paul Doyle wept while dashcam footage depicted people being thrown into the air as he accelerated into crowds and shouted: “Fucking hell, move!”
Doyle, 54, will learn his fate on Tuesday following his guilty plea at the start of his trial last month to 31 criminal charges against 29 victims, including eight minors.
‘Consumed by Anger’
The prosecution warned those in court that the video evidence from the defendant’s two-tonne Ford Galaxy proved to be “extremely graphic”. It showed the father of three shouting “expletives” as well as “fucking move” while he headed straight for a large crowd of supporters, some pulling children out of the way as he blasted the horn.
The court was told that Doyle was a “man in a rage had completely overpowered him” as he ploughed further into the crowd, accelerating while individuals were struck by his vehicle.
Extent of the Injuries
In total, the former Royal Marine injured 134 people in just seven minutes – with over fifty who needed hospital treatment. A six-month-old boy 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 seen being launched into the air by the car, sustaining a cut to the back of his head, rib fractures and multiple abrasions.
The defendant was heard screaming “fuck’s sake move! Get out my fucking way!” before ploughing further into panicked fans, including an elderly woman and children who became trapped beneath the vehicle.
Celebration Descends into Chaos
Addressing a packed courtroom, lawyers said about 1 million people were present at “what they thought would be a day of joyfulness” marking the football club’s championship win. Scenes of jubilation turned to “terror”, the prosecutor said, as Doyle drove into oncoming fans while trying to collect a companion from the parade route.
“Witnesses thought that what was taking place was a terrorist attack.”
Rampage Halted by Heroic Act
As bodies lay on the ground, Doyle’s rampage 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”. Even then, Doyle kept his foot on the accelerator, according to evidence.
In his police interview, the defendant stated he reacted in a “state of sheer panic” due to a fear for his safety. However, the prosecution argued that the dashcam footage showed Doyle “simply lost control in his desire to get to where he wanted to get to”. The prosecutor added: “Consumed by anger, he targeted the crowd and as he did so his intent was to cause serious injury.”
Dangerous Driving Prior to Incident
The video indicated Doyle had been driving dangerously prior to entering downtown, undertaking cars at speed and running red lights. He ignored traffic diversion measures and weaved around other cars, including an ambulance and police cars, as he entered the crowds.
Doyle is expected to receive a jail term of over a decade at his sentencing hearing.
