Man Who Drove Into Liverpool FC Parade Was ‘Consumed by Rage’, Court Hears.

An ex- Royal Marine was a “man in a rage” as he drove into dozens of LFC fans at a championship celebration, in what many feared was a act of terrorism, according to court proceedings.

Victims of Paul Doyle wept while dashcam footage showed people being thrown into the air as he accelerated into crowds and shouted: “Get out of the way!”

Doyle, 54, will learn his fate 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 stated those in court that the footage from Doyle’s large people carrier proved to be “truly shocking”. The recording revealed the parent yelling “fucking pricks” as well as “move out of the way” as he drove towards a large crowd of supporters, some pulling children out of the way as he blasted the horn.

The court was told that Doyle was a “individual whose anger 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

Overall, the former Royal Marine hurt 134 individuals in just seven minutes – with over fifty who needed hospital treatment. A six-month-old boy was “miraculously” unharmed even though he was left on the roadway when Doyle’s car hit his pram, the court heard.

A supporter, Simon Nash, was shown being thrown into the air by the vehicle, suffering a cut on his head, rib fractures and multiple abrasions.

Doyle was heard screaming “fuck’s sake move! Get out of my path!” prior to driving deeper into screaming supporters, including an elderly woman and children who became trapped beneath the vehicle.

Celebration Descends into Chaos

Speaking to a full court, lawyers said approximately a million individuals had attended “what they thought would be a joyous occasion” marking the football club’s championship win. 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.

Brave Intervention Stops Driver

As bodies lay on the ground, the vehicle’s path was brought to a halt by a former soldier, Dan Barr, 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, according to evidence.

During questioning, the defendant claimed he reacted in a “state of sheer panic” because he feared for his life. Yet, prosecutors contended that the dashcam footage showed Doyle “simply lost control in his determination to reach his destination”. The prosecutor added: “Consumed by anger, he drove into the crowd and as he did so his intent was to cause serious injury.”

Dangerous Driving Prior to Incident

The video showed the driver was driving recklessly before he reached the city centre, overtaking cars dangerously and jumping red lights. He ignored traffic diversion measures and weaved around other vehicles, even emergency service vehicles, as he approached the packed streets.

The defendant is understood to be facing a prison sentence of over a decade at his sentencing hearing.