An ex-soldier has been hailed as a “hero” after stopping the Liverpool victory parade attacker’s car after his rampage, a court has heard.
Paul Doyle, 54, sobbed in the dock on Monday morning as he heard stories from witnesses who had been left mentally affected after he drove his car through crowds of Liverpool fans earlier this year.
One paramedic, who was knocked to the ground during the incident, said he feared he was in the midst of a terrorist attack, while a mother described how she thought her baby had died after his pram was thrown into the air after being hit by Doyle’s car.
The court heard how Doyle used his car as a “weapon” to plough into more than 130 Liverpool fans celebrating their club’s Premier League victory.
He was said to have been “in a rage”, and footage shown to the court shows Doyle shouting at pedestrians to “move out the f****** way” while aggressively using his horn.
The former Royal Marine, who the court heard told officers “I’ve just ruined my family’s life” after his arrest, is due to be sentenced on Tuesday after pleading guilty to 31 offences relating to seriously injuring people during the parade on May 26.
But Liverpool Crown Court were also told the story of ex-soldier Daniel Barr, who Paul Greaney KC described as the “hero” of the day.
Mr Barr was walking up Water Street and could see Doyle’s Ford Galaxy in the distance, noting the crowd changing from “joyous to desperate”, Mr Greaney said.
Paul Doyle drove is car into ‘well over 100’ Liverpool fans on May 26
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CROWN PROSECUTION SERVICEThere, he could see Doyle’s vehicle “weaving and hitting people, who were sent flying into the air.”
As the car came closer, it stopped next to Mr Barr, who “instinctively pulled open the rear passenger-side door and climbed in”.
“He did so with the intention of stopping the driver,” Mr Greaney said, who described how the former soldier “bravely” jumped into the back of Doyle’s vehicle, putting the car into park.
“The Galaxy did not stop immediately, but in the end it did,” the prosecutor added.
The two-minute rampage left 130 people injured
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REUTERSMr Barr told police that, while he held the gear stick in park, Doyle “continued to keep his foot on the accelerator”.
The courageous actions of Mr Barr have been credited for bringing Doyle’s two-minute rampage to an end.
Doyle claimed to police he “thought he was going to die”, adding that he had brought the car to a stop himself.
Instead, Mr Greaney told the court: “In any event, what brought the Galaxy to a halt was a combination of the number of people trapped beneath the vehicle and the actions of Daniel Barr, not the decision of Paul Doyle.”
One paramedic said he feared he was in the midst of a terrorist attack, while a mother described how she thought her baby had died after his pram was thrown into the air after being hit by Doyle’s car
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REUTERS
As the car came to a halt, 77-year-old Susan Passey, teenagers Aaron Cothliff and Ethan Gilland and an 11-year-old boy were all trapped under the vehicle.
Doyle admitted to dangerous driving, affray, 17 charges of attempting to cause grievous bodily harm (GBH) with intent, nine counts of causing GBH with intent, and three counts of wounding with intent last month.
He had previously denied the offences, which relate to 29 victims aged between six months and 77 years old.