Man That Ploughed Through Liverpool FC Parade Described as ‘Consumed by Rage’, Court Hears.
An ex- Royal Marines Commando was a “person consumed by fury” when he mowed down dozens of LFC supporters at a championship celebration, an incident many initially feared to be a act of terrorism, a court has heard.
“The footage was truly shocking.”
Those injured in the incident wept as dashcam footage showed bodies spinning through the air while he sped towards the gathering while screaming: “Fucking hell, move!”
The 54-year-old defendant will learn his fate on Tuesday after pleading guilty at the start of his trial last month to 31 offences involving 29 victims, including eight minors.
‘A Man in a Rage’
The prosecution stated those in court that the video evidence from the defendant’s large people carrier proved to be “truly shocking”. It showed the parent shouting “fucking pricks” and “fucking move” as he drove towards a large crowd of supporters, with people frantically dragging children to safety as he blasted the horn.
The court was told that Doyle was a “individual whose anger had completely overpowered him” as he ploughed further into the crowd, accelerating as people collided with his car.
Extent of the Injuries
In total, the ex-marine injured 134 individuals in just seven minutes – with over fifty 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, a man named in court, was seen being launched into the air by the vehicle, sustaining a laceration to the back of his head, rib fractures and numerous scrapes.
The defendant could be heard shouting “fuck’s sake move! Get out my fucking way!” prior to driving deeper into panicked fans, among them an older woman and young children who were dragged under the car.
Celebration Descends into Chaos
Addressing a packed courtroom, lawyers said about 1 million people were present at “what they thought would be a day of joyfulness” marking Liverpool winning their 20th league title. Scenes of jubilation swiftly became “horror”, it was said, when the driver entered the crowd while trying to collect a companion who had been at the parade.
“Witnesses thought that what was taking place constituted a terrorist incident.”
Brave Intervention Stops Driver
As bodies lay on the ground, the vehicle’s path 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 continued pressing the gas pedal, according to evidence.
In his police interview, the defendant stated he reacted in a “state of sheer panic” due to a fear for his safety. Yet, prosecutors contended that the dashcam footage demonstrated the defendant “just lost his temper in his desire to get to where he wanted to get to”. It was further stated: “Consumed by anger, he drove into the crowd and as he did so he intended to cause them serious harm.”
Reckless Behavior Before the Attack
The video showed the driver was driving recklessly before he reached the city centre, overtaking cars dangerously and jumping red lights. He disregarded road closures and weaved around other vehicles, even emergency service vehicles, as he approached the packed streets.
Doyle is understood to be facing a prison sentence of over a decade when he is sentenced on Tuesday.
