🔗 Share this article

An ex- Royal Marine was a “person consumed by fury” as he drove into scores of LFC supporters at a championship celebration, in what many feared was a terrorist attack, a court has heard.

“The footage is deeply disturbing.”

Those injured of Paul Doyle wept while video from the car’s camera depicted people being thrown into the air while he sped towards the gathering and shouted: “Get out of the way!”

Doyle, 54, is due to be sentenced on Tuesday following his guilty plea on the first day of his trial last month to 31 offences involving 29 victims, including eight minors.

‘A Man in a Rage’

The prosecution stated the court that the footage from Doyle’s large people carrier proved to be “truly shocking”. The recording revealed the parent 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.

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 while individuals were struck by his vehicle.

Extent of the Injuries

In total, the ex-marine hurt 134 people within a mere seven-minute span – with over fifty requiring hospital care. A six-month-old boy was “miraculously” unharmed even though he was left on the roadway after the vehicle struck his stroller, the court heard.

One fan, Simon Nash, was shown being thrown into the air by the vehicle, suffering a laceration on his head, broken ribs and multiple abrasions.

Doyle could be heard shouting “fuck’s sake move! Get out of my path!” before ploughing further into panicked fans, among them an older woman and young children who became trapped beneath the vehicle.

Scene of Jubilation Turns to Horror

Speaking to a full court, lawyers said approximately a million individuals were present at “what they thought would be a day of joyfulness” to celebrate Liverpool winning their 20th league title. Scenes of jubilation turned to “horror”, the prosecutor said, when the driver entered the crowd as he attempted to pick up a friend who had been at the parade.

“Witnesses thought that what was taking place constituted a terrorist incident.”

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 held the car’s gear selector in “park”. Despite this, Doyle continued pressing the gas pedal, according to evidence.

In his police interview, Doyle claimed he acted in a “blind panic” due to a fear for his safety. Yet, prosecutors contended that the dashcam footage showed Doyle “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 showed Doyle was driving recklessly before he reached the city centre, undertaking cars at speed and jumping red lights. He ignored traffic diversion measures and bypassed other vehicles, even emergency service vehicles, as he entered the crowds.

Doyle is expected to receive a prison sentence of over a decade when he is sentenced on Tuesday.