Man That Drove Into LFC Victory Parade Described as ‘In a Rage’, Court Told.
A former Royal Marines Commando was a “person consumed by fury” as he drove into dozens of Liverpool football club supporters at a championship celebration, in what many feared was a terrorist attack, a court has heard.
“The video was truly shocking.”
Those injured in the incident cried while dashcam footage showed people being thrown into the air as he accelerated into crowds while screaming: “Fucking hell, move!”
The 54-year-old defendant will learn his fate 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 those in court that the video evidence from Doyle’s large people carrier proved to be “extremely graphic”. It showed the father of three yelling “fucking pricks” as well as “move out of the way” as he drove towards hundreds of fans, with people frantically dragging children to safety as he blasted the horn.
The court was told that Doyle was a “man in a rage whose anger had completely taken hold of him” as he ploughed further into the crowd, speeding up while individuals were struck by his vehicle.
Scale of the Carnage
In total, the former Royal Marine hurt 134 individuals within a mere seven-minute span – including more than 50 who needed hospital treatment. An infant was “miraculously” unharmed even though he was left on the roadway when Doyle’s car hit his pram, according to testimony.
One fan, a man named in court, was shown being thrown 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 “for God’s sake move! Get out of my path!” before ploughing further into screaming supporters, among them an older woman and young children who were dragged under the car.
Celebration Descends into Chaos
Speaking to a full court, the prosecution said approximately a million individuals were present at “what they thought would be a joyous occasion” to celebrate Liverpool winning their 20th league title. Scenes of jubilation swiftly became “terror”, it was said, when the driver entered the crowd while trying to collect a companion who had been at the parade.
“Witnesses thought that the events unfolding was a terrorist attack.”
Rampage Halted by Heroic Act
With injured people on the street, Doyle’s rampage was brought to a halt by a former soldier, Dan Barr, who entered the back of the car and forced the gearstick into park. Even then, Doyle kept his foot on the accelerator, the court heard.
During questioning, Doyle claimed he reacted in a “blind panic” due to a fear for his safety. However, prosecutors contended that the dashcam footage demonstrated the defendant “simply lost control in his desire to get to where he wanted to get to”. It was further stated: “Consumed by anger, he targeted the crowd and as he did so he intended to cause them serious harm.”
Dangerous Driving Prior to Incident
Footage showed Doyle was driving recklessly prior to entering downtown, undertaking cars at speed and jumping red lights. He disregarded road closures and weaved around other vehicles, including an ambulance and police cars, as he entered the crowds.
The defendant is understood to be facing a jail term of more than 10 years when he is sentenced on Tuesday.
