Driver That Ploughed Into LFC Parade Described as ‘Consumed by Rage’, Trial Hears.
A former Royal Marine was a “man in a rage” when he drove into scores of Liverpool football club supporters during a championship celebration, an incident many initially feared to be a terrorist attack, according to court proceedings.
“The footage is deeply disturbing.”
Victims in the incident wept as video from the car’s camera depicted people being thrown into the air as he accelerated into crowds and shouted: “Fucking hell, move!”
The 54-year-old defendant will learn his fate on Tuesday following his guilty plea at the start of his trial last month to 31 offences involving 21 adults and eight children.
‘A Man in a Rage’
Prosecutors warned the court that the footage from the defendant’s two-tonne Ford Galaxy was “truly shocking”. The recording revealed the father of three shouting “expletives” and “move out of the way” as he drove towards hundreds of fans, some pulling children out of the way as he blasted the horn.
The court was told that Doyle was a “man in a rage had completely overpowered him” as he continued driving into the mass of people, accelerating while individuals were struck by his vehicle.
Extent of the Injuries
In total, the former Royal Marine hurt 134 people within a mere seven-minute span – including more than 50 requiring hospital care. A six-month-old boy was “remarkably” uninjured despite being left splayed on the road after the vehicle struck his stroller, the court heard.
One fan, Simon Nash, was shown being thrown into the air by the vehicle, suffering a laceration on his head, rib fractures and numerous scrapes.
Doyle could be heard shouting “fuck’s sake move! Get out my fucking way!” before ploughing further into panicked fans, including an elderly woman and children who became trapped beneath the vehicle.
Celebration Descends into Chaos
Addressing a packed courtroom, lawyers said about 1 million people had attended “what they thought would be a day of joyfulness” marking the football club’s championship win. The celebratory atmosphere turned to “horror”, the prosecutor said, when the driver entered the crowd as he attempted to pick up a friend from the parade route.
“Some at the scene believed what was taking place was a terrorist attack.”
Brave Intervention Stops Driver
As bodies lay on the ground, Doyle’s rampage was brought to a halt by a former soldier, Dan Barr, who climbed into a rear passenger seat and forced the gearstick into park. Despite this, Doyle kept his foot on the accelerator, the court heard.
In his police interview, the defendant stated he acted in a “blind panic” due to a fear for his safety. Yet, the prosecution argued that the dashcam footage showed Doyle “just lost his temper in his desire to get to where he wanted to get to”. The prosecutor added: “In a rage, he targeted the crowd and in doing so his intent was to cause serious injury.”
Dangerous Driving Prior to Incident
Footage indicated Doyle was driving recklessly prior to entering downtown, overtaking cars dangerously and jumping red lights. He disregarded road closures and bypassed other vehicles, including an ambulance and police cars, as he approached the packed streets.
Doyle is expected to receive a prison sentence of over a decade when he is sentenced on Tuesday.