A former Royal Marine acted as a “person consumed by fury” as he drove into scores of LFC supporters at a victory parade, an incident many initially feared to be a terrorist attack, according to court proceedings.
“The footage is truly shocking.”
Victims of Paul Doyle wept as video from the car’s camera showed people being thrown into the air as he accelerated into crowds and shouted: “Get out of the way!”
The 54-year-old defendant will learn his fate on Tuesday after pleading guilty at the start of his trial last month to 31 offences against 29 victims, including eight minors.
Prosecutors stated the court that the video evidence from Doyle’s large people carrier proved to be “extremely graphic”. The recording revealed the father of three yelling “expletives” as well as “fucking move” while he headed straight for hundreds of fans, some pulling children out of the way as his car horn blared.
It was stated in court that Doyle acted as a “man in a rage whose anger had completely taken hold of him” as he continued driving into the mass of people, speeding up as people collided with his car.
In total, the former Royal Marine injured 134 people in just seven minutes – with over fifty requiring hospital care. An infant was “miraculously” uninjured even though he was left on the roadway when Doyle’s car hit his pram, according to testimony.
One fan, a man named in court, was seen being launched into the air by the vehicle, suffering a cut on his head, broken ribs and numerous scrapes.
Doyle was heard screaming “for God’s sake move! Get out my fucking way!” before ploughing further into screaming supporters, among them an older woman and young children who were dragged under the car.
Addressing a packed courtroom, lawyers said about 1 million people were present at “an event they believed to be a joyous occasion” marking the football club’s championship win. The celebratory atmosphere swiftly became “terror”, it was said, as Doyle drove into oncoming fans while trying to collect a companion who had been at the parade.
“Witnesses believed the events unfolding constituted a terrorist incident.”
As bodies lay on the ground, the vehicle’s path was stopped by an ex-army member, a man identified in court, who entered the back of the car 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 “blind panic” due to a fear for his safety. Yet, prosecutors contended that the video demonstrated Doyle “simply lost control in his desire to get to where he wanted to get to”. The prosecutor added: “In a rage, he drove into the crowd and in doing so he intended to cause them serious harm.”
The video indicated Doyle had been driving dangerously prior to entering downtown, undertaking cars at speed and running red lights. He disregarded traffic diversion measures and weaved around other vehicles, even emergency service vehicles, as he entered the crowds.
The defendant is understood to be facing a jail term of over a decade at his sentencing hearing.
