Paul Doyle appeared visibly distressed during his court appearance, shedding tears while watching harrowing footage of his violent actions being shown to the court. His emotional reaction was evident as he wiped his eyes with a tissue while CCTV and dashcam videos depicted the chaos he caused on May 26. The courtroom was filled with his victims and their families, with an overflow room needed to accommodate the large turnout.
Gasps and tears filled the room as the shocking scenes unfolded on screen. Doyle, with his slicked-back grey hair, could be seen shaking his head and looking down in tears as the footage played. Spectators witnessed football fans being hurled over his car, while others were dragged under the vehicle as he drove through the crowd. Disturbing images of individuals trapped under Doyle’s car were also displayed, including two teenagers and a young boy being rescued from beneath the vehicle.
Despite appearing in court dressed in a suit and tie, Doyle struggled to contain his emotions and speak each time. The court was warned by Paul Greaney KC that the footage of Doyle’s violent outburst was truly disturbing, leaving families in shock and passing tissues among themselves. Doyle, who had previously denied any wrongdoing, changed his plea just before the prosecution was set to present its case against him.
As details of Doyle’s lies to the police were revealed in court, families expressed disbelief at his fabricated account of events. Contrary to his claims, dashcam footage proved his version of events to be false and distorted. Victim impact statements were read out, illustrating the mental and physical trauma suffered by the 134 individuals injured in the incident.
During the proceedings, Doyle, flanked by prison officers, remained motionless as the court heard about the profound impact on the victims. He has confessed to 31 charges, including attempted grievous bodily harm, dangerous driving, and other serious offenses. Sentencing is expected to conclude the following day.