Man Who Ploughed Through LFC Parade Was ‘Consumed by Rage’, Court Told.

An ex- Royal Marine was a “man in a rage” as he drove into scores of LFC supporters during a victory parade, in what many feared was a act of terrorism, according to court proceedings.

“The video is truly shocking.”

Victims of Paul Doyle wept 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 following his guilty plea on the first day of his trial last month to 31 offences involving 21 adults and eight children.

‘A Man in a Rage’

Prosecutors stated those in court that the video evidence from Doyle’s large people carrier proved to be “truly shocking”. It showed 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.

It was stated in court that Doyle was a “man in a rage whose anger had completely taken hold of him” as he continued driving into the mass of people, speeding up while individuals were struck by his vehicle.

Extent of the Injuries

In total, the former Royal Marine hurt 134 individuals in just seven minutes – with over fifty who needed hospital treatment. An infant was “remarkably” unharmed even though he was left on the roadway when Doyle’s car hit his pram, according to testimony.

A supporter, a man named in court, was seen being launched into the air by the vehicle, suffering a laceration to the back of his head, rib fractures and numerous scrapes.

The defendant could be heard shouting “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.

Celebration Descends into Chaos

Addressing a packed courtroom, lawyers said about 1 million people had attended “what they thought would be a joyous occasion” marking Liverpool winning their 20th league title. Scenes of jubilation swiftly became “horror”, it was said, when the driver entered the crowd while trying to collect a companion who had been at the parade.

“Some at the scene thought that the events unfolding constituted a terrorist incident.”

Brave Intervention Stops Driver

With injured people on the street, Doyle’s rampage was brought to a halt by an ex-army member, a man identified in court, who climbed into a rear passenger seat and forced the gearstick into park. Even then, Doyle continued pressing the gas pedal, according to evidence.

In his police interview, Doyle stated he acted in a “state of sheer panic” because he feared for his life. However, the prosecution argued that the dashcam footage demonstrated Doyle “simply lost control in his desire to get to where he wanted to get to”. It was further stated: “Consumed by anger, he drove into the crowd and as he did so his intent was to cause serious injury.”

Reckless Behavior Before the Attack

Footage showed the driver had been driving dangerously before he reached the city centre, overtaking cars dangerously and jumping red lights. He disregarded road closures and weaved around other vehicles, including an ambulance and police cars, as he approached the packed streets.

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

Margaret Guzman
Margaret Guzman

Elara is a tech journalist and business strategist with over a decade of experience covering digital transformation and startup ecosystems across Europe.