Man That Drove Into Liverpool FC Victory Parade Described as ‘Consumed by Rage’, Trial Told.
An ex- Royal Marines Commando acted as a “person consumed by fury” when he mowed down scores of LFC supporters during a victory parade, in what many feared was a terrorist attack, according to court proceedings.
“The footage is profoundly upsetting.”
Those injured in the incident cried while dashcam footage showed people being thrown into the air while he sped towards the gathering while screaming: “Get out of the way!”
Doyle, 54, is due to be sentenced 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.
‘Consumed by Anger’
The prosecution warned those in court that the video evidence from the defendant’s large people carrier was “truly shocking”. It showed the father of three yelling “expletives” as well as “fucking move” 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 as people collided with his car.
Scale of the Carnage
Overall, the ex-marine hurt 134 individuals in just seven minutes – with over fifty who needed hospital treatment. An infant was “miraculously” unharmed even though he was left on the roadway after the vehicle struck his stroller, the court heard.
A supporter, Simon Nash, was seen being launched into the air by the vehicle, suffering a laceration to the back of his head, rib fractures and multiple abrasions.
The defendant could be heard shouting “fuck’s sake move! Get out of my path!” before ploughing further into panicked fans, including an elderly woman and children who became trapped beneath the vehicle.
Scene of Jubilation Turns to Horror
Speaking to a full court, lawyers said approximately a million individuals were present at “an event they believed to be a day of joyfulness” marking Liverpool winning their 20th league title. Scenes of jubilation turned to “terror”, it was said, as Doyle drove into oncoming fans while trying to collect a companion from the parade route.
“Some at the scene believed the events unfolding was a terrorist attack.”
Brave Intervention Stops Driver
As bodies lay on the ground, the vehicle’s path was brought to a halt by an ex-army member, Dan Barr, who climbed into a rear passenger seat and forced the gearstick into park. Despite this, Doyle kept his foot on the accelerator, according to evidence.
During questioning, Doyle stated 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”. The prosecutor added: “Consumed by anger, he targeted the crowd and in doing so his intent was to cause serious injury.”
Reckless Behavior Before the Attack
Footage showed the driver had been driving dangerously before he reached the city centre, undertaking cars at speed and running red lights. He disregarded road closures and bypassed other cars, even emergency service vehicles, as he approached the packed streets.
The defendant is expected to receive a jail term of over a decade at his sentencing hearing.
