🔗 Share this article

A former Royal Marine acted as a “person consumed by fury” when he mowed down dozens of LFC fans at a championship celebration, an incident many initially feared to be a terrorist attack, a court has heard.

“The video is deeply disturbing.”

Those injured of Paul Doyle cried as video from the car’s camera showed bodies spinning through the air as he accelerated into crowds while screaming: “Fucking hell, move!”

Doyle, 54, is due to be sentenced on Tuesday after pleading guilty at the start of his trial last month to 31 criminal charges involving 29 victims, including eight minors.

‘A Man in a Rage’

Prosecutors warned those in court that the video evidence from the defendant’s large people carrier was “truly shocking”. The recording revealed the parent shouting “expletives” and “move out of the way” while he headed straight for a large crowd of supporters, some pulling children out of the way as his car horn blared.

The court was told that Doyle was a “individual whose anger had completely overpowered him” as he continued driving into the mass of people, speeding up while individuals were struck by his vehicle.

Scale of the Carnage

Overall, the former Royal Marine hurt 134 individuals within a mere seven-minute span – with over fifty who needed hospital treatment. An infant was “miraculously” unharmed despite being left splayed on the road when Doyle’s car hit his pram, the court heard.

One fan, Simon Nash, was seen being launched into the air by the car, sustaining a laceration to the back of his head, broken ribs and multiple abrasions.

Doyle 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 were dragged under the car.

Scene of Jubilation Turns to Horror

Addressing a packed courtroom, the prosecution said approximately a million individuals were present at “an event they believed to be a joyous occasion” marking the football club’s championship win. The celebratory atmosphere swiftly became “horror”, it was said, when the driver entered the crowd as he attempted to pick up a friend from the parade route.

“Some at the scene 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 a former soldier, a man identified in court, 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, the court heard.

During questioning, Doyle stated he reacted in a “state of sheer panic” due to a fear for his safety. However, prosecutors contended that the video demonstrated Doyle “just lost his temper in his desire to get to where he wanted to get to”. The prosecutor added: “In a rage, he targeted the crowd and in doing so he intended to cause them serious harm.”

Dangerous Driving Prior to Incident

Footage showed Doyle had been driving dangerously before he reached the city centre, overtaking cars dangerously and jumping red lights. He disregarded traffic diversion measures and bypassed other cars, including an ambulance and police cars, as he approached the packed streets.

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