Jonny HumphriesBBC Information, Liverpool Crown Court docket
UnknownA person accused of “utilizing his automobile as a weapon” by intentionally driving into crowds of Liverpool FC followers has pleaded not responsible to 31 prices.
Greater than 130 folks, together with eight kids, have been injured when a Ford Galaxy automobile struck pedestrians on Water Road in Liverpool Metropolis Centre, as followers celebrated the membership’s Premier League victory parade on 26 Could.
Former Royal Marine Commando Paul Doyle, 53, faces prices together with inflicting grievous bodily hurt with intent and harmful driving.
He appeared at Liverpool Crown Court docket by way of videolink from jail the place he answered “not responsible” as every of the costs have been put to him.
The allegations towards Mr Doyle, of Burghill Highway in West Derby, Liverpool, relate to 29 victims, together with two infants.
The court docket heard his authorized group had confronted important difficulties being allowed entry to their consumer in jail, going through weeks-long waits to go to him in particular person or maintain conferences over videolink.
Simon Csoka, KC, defending, mentioned: “The system simply is not working.”
He additionally mentioned Belmarsh Jail had nonetheless not organized for Mr Doyle to be given a laptop computer in custody so he might view CCTV footage and different digital proof.
Mr Csoka mentioned the jail’s strategy had been “incomprehensible” and the defence had confronted “impenetrable purple tape” in getting a laptop computer to Mr Doyle.
Mr Doyle, who was sitting in a videolink sales space carrying a gray t-shirt, wiped tears from his eyes as Mr Csoka described the issues the defence had confronted.
He’s charged with harmful driving, affray, 18 counts of making an attempt to trigger grievous bodily hurt (GBH) with intent, 9 counts of inflicting GBH with intent and two counts of wounding with intent.
The youngest sufferer is six months outdated, whereas the oldest is 77.
Choose Andrew Menary KC mentioned there can be a pre-trial assessment listening to on 27 October.
The trial was delayed by a day to 25 November, he advised the court docket.
At a earlier listening to prosecutors mentioned their case was that Mr Doyle had used the automobile “as a weapon” on Water Road simply after 18:00 BST on 26 Could.
Throughout that listening to, junior counsel Philip Astbury mentioned it was the prosecution’s case that Mr Doyle “drove intentionally in that automobile at folks amongst that crowd as they tried to go away the world”.
“Six prices of assault mirror probably the most severely injured of those that have been struck by the automobile,” he mentioned.
“The primary depend of harmful driving displays the style of driving earlier than and up till the purpose he used his automobile intentionally as a weapon to injure these people.”
Mr Doyle was initially charged with seven offences however 24 new counts have been added to the indictment at a listening to final month.
