Man Who Ploughed Through Liverpool FC Parade Was ‘In a Rage’, Court Hears.

An ex- Royal Marine acted as a “person consumed by fury” as he mowed down scores of LFC fans at a victory parade, an incident many initially feared to be a act of terrorism, according to court proceedings.

“The footage was truly shocking.”

Those injured of Paul Doyle wept as video from the car’s camera showed bodies spinning through the air while he sped towards the gathering and shouted: “Fucking hell, move!”

The 54-year-old defendant is due to be sentenced on Tuesday following his guilty plea at the start of his trial last month to 31 criminal charges involving 21 adults and eight children.

‘Consumed by Anger’

Prosecutors warned those in court that the footage from the defendant’s large people carrier was “truly shocking”. The recording revealed the father of three shouting “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.

The court was told that Doyle acted as a “man in a rage had completely overpowered him” as he continued driving into the mass of people, accelerating as people collided with his car.

Scale of the Carnage

In total, the ex-marine hurt 134 individuals within a mere seven-minute span – including more than 50 requiring hospital care. A six-month-old boy was “remarkably” unharmed despite being left splayed on the road when Doyle’s car hit his pram, according to testimony.

One fan, a man named in court, was shown being thrown into the air by the vehicle, suffering a laceration on his head, broken ribs and numerous scrapes.

The defendant was heard screaming “for God’s sake move! Get out of my path!” prior to driving deeper into screaming supporters, including an elderly woman and children who were dragged under the car.

Scene of Jubilation Turns to Horror

Addressing a packed courtroom, the prosecution said about 1 million people had attended “what they thought would be a joyous occasion” marking Liverpool winning their 20th league title. The celebratory atmosphere swiftly became “terror”, it was said, as Doyle drove into oncoming fans as he attempted to pick up a friend from the parade route.

“Witnesses believed what was taking place was a terrorist attack.”

Rampage Halted by Heroic Act

With injured people on the street, the vehicle’s path was brought to a halt by an ex-army member, Dan Barr, who entered the back of the car and forced the gearstick into park. Despite this, Doyle kept his foot on the accelerator, the court heard.

During questioning, Doyle stated he reacted in a “blind panic” due to a fear for his safety. However, prosecutors contended that the dashcam footage demonstrated the defendant “simply lost control in his determination to reach his destination”. It was further stated: “In a rage, he drove into the crowd and as he did so he intended to cause them serious harm.”

Reckless Behavior Before the Attack

Footage indicated the driver had been driving dangerously before he reached the city centre, undertaking cars at speed and running red lights. He disregarded road closures and bypassed other cars, including an ambulance and police cars, as he entered the crowds.

The defendant is expected to receive a prison sentence of over a decade at his sentencing hearing.

Gina Thompson
Gina Thompson

A professional casino analyst with over a decade of experience in gaming strategy and slot machine mechanics.