A person accused of “utilizing his automobile as a weapon” by intentionally driving into crowds of Liverpool FC followers has pleaded not responsible to 31 costs.

Greater than 130 individuals, together with eight kids, have been injured when a Ford Galaxy automobile struck pedestrians on Water Avenue in Liverpool Metropolis Centre, as followers celebrated the membership’s Premier League victory parade on 26 Might.

Former Royal Marine Commando Paul Doyle, 53, faces costs together with inflicting grievous bodily hurt with intent and harmful driving.

He appeared at Liverpool Crown Court docket through videolink from jail the place he answered “not responsible” as every of the fees have been put to him.

The allegations towards Mr Doyle, of Burghill Street in West Derby, Liverpool, relate to 29 victims, together with two infants.

The courtroom heard his authorized group had confronted important difficulties being allowed entry to their consumer in jail, dealing with weeks-long waits to go to him in individual or maintain conferences over videolink.

Simon Csoka, KC, defending, stated: “The system simply is not working.”

He additionally stated 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 stated the jail’s method 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 trying 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The youngest sufferer is six months outdated, whereas the oldest is 77.

Decide Andrew Menary KC stated there could be a pre-trial evaluate listening to on 27 October.

The trial was delayed by a day to 25 November, he informed the courtroom.

At a earlier listening to prosecutors stated their case was that Mr Doyle had used the automobile “as a weapon” on Water Avenue simply after 18:00 BST on 26 Might.

Throughout that listening to, junior counsel Philip Astbury stated it was the prosecution’s case that Mr Doyle “drove intentionally in that automobile at individuals amongst that crowd as they tried to depart the realm”.

“Six costs of assault replicate probably the most significantly injured of those that have been struck by the automobile,” he stated.

“The primary rely of harmful driving displays the way 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.