Man Who Drove Through LFC Victory Parade Described as ‘In a Rage’, Court Told.

An ex- Royal Marine was a “person consumed by fury” as he drove into scores of LFC fans during a victory parade, in what many feared was a terrorist attack, a court has heard.

“The footage is profoundly upsetting.”

Victims of Paul Doyle cried while dashcam footage depicted 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 criminal charges against 21 adults and eight children.

‘A Man in a Rage’

The prosecution stated the court that the footage from the defendant’s two-tonne Ford Galaxy proved to be “truly shocking”. The recording revealed the father of three yelling “fucking pricks” and “fucking move” 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 “individual whose anger had completely overpowered him” as he continued driving into the mass of people, speeding up as people collided with his car.

Extent of the Injuries

Overall, the ex-marine injured 134 individuals within a mere seven-minute span – 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, the court heard.

One fan, a man named in court, was seen being launched into the air by the car, sustaining a cut to the back of 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 screaming supporters, including an elderly woman and children who were dragged under the car.

Celebration Descends into Chaos

Addressing a packed courtroom, the prosecution said about 1 million people had attended “what they thought would be a joyous occasion” to celebrate the football club’s championship win. Scenes of jubilation swiftly became “terror”, 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 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 a former soldier, a man identified in court, who climbed into a rear passenger seat and forced the gearstick into park. Despite this, Doyle continued pressing the gas pedal, according to evidence.

In his police interview, the defendant claimed he acted in a “state of sheer panic” due to a fear for his safety. Yet, the prosecution argued that the dashcam footage showed Doyle “simply lost control in his desire to get to where he wanted to get to”. It was further stated: “In a rage, he drove into the crowd and in doing so he intended to cause them serious harm.”

Dangerous Driving Prior to Incident

The video indicated Doyle had been driving dangerously prior to entering downtown, overtaking cars dangerously and jumping red lights. He disregarded road closures and bypassed other cars, even emergency service vehicles, as he approached the packed streets.

Doyle is understood to be facing a jail term of over a decade when he is sentenced on Tuesday.

Kelly Alexander
Kelly Alexander

A seasoned casino analyst with over a decade of experience in slot machine mechanics and gaming trends.