Man That Ploughed Through Liverpool FC Parade Was ‘In a Rage’, Trial Hears.
An ex- Royal Marines Commando was a “man in a rage” as he drove into dozens of LFC fans at a championship celebration, in what many feared was a act of terrorism, according to court proceedings.
“The video was deeply disturbing.”
Victims in the incident wept while dashcam footage showed people being thrown into the air while he sped towards the gathering while screaming: “Fucking hell, move!”
Doyle, 54, is due to be sentenced on Tuesday after pleading guilty at the start of his trial last month to 31 offences against 29 victims, including eight minors.
‘Consumed by Anger’
The prosecution stated those in court that the video evidence from Doyle’s large people carrier proved to be “truly shocking”. The recording revealed the father of three yelling “fucking pricks” 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 acted as a “individual whose anger whose anger had completely taken hold of him” as he continued driving into the mass of people, accelerating as people collided with his car.
Scale of the Carnage
Overall, the ex-marine hurt 134 individuals within a mere seven-minute span – including more than 50 requiring hospital care. A six-month-old boy was “miraculously” uninjured even though he was left on the roadway when Doyle’s car hit his pram, the court heard.
One fan, a man named in court, was shown being thrown into the air by the car, sustaining a cut on his head, rib fractures and multiple abrasions.
The defendant could be heard shouting “fuck’s sake move! Get out of my path!” prior to driving deeper into screaming supporters, among them an older woman and young children who were dragged under the car.
Celebration Descends into Chaos
Addressing a packed courtroom, the prosecution said about 1 million people had attended “an event they believed to be a day of joyfulness” to celebrate Liverpool winning their 20th league title. Scenes of jubilation turned to “horror”, the prosecutor said, as Doyle drove into oncoming fans as he attempted to pick up a friend from the parade route.
“Witnesses believed what was taking place 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 climbed into a rear passenger seat and held the car’s gear selector in “park”. Despite this, Doyle continued pressing the gas pedal, according to evidence.
During questioning, Doyle stated he reacted in a “state of sheer 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”. It was further stated: “Consumed by anger, he targeted the crowd and in doing so he intended to cause them serious harm.”
Dangerous Driving Prior to Incident
Footage indicated the driver was driving recklessly before he reached the city centre, undertaking cars at speed and jumping red lights. He disregarded road closures and bypassed 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 at his sentencing hearing.