Driver Who Drove Into LFC Parade Described as ‘Consumed by Rage’, Trial Told.
An ex- Royal Marine acted as a “man in a rage” when he drove into scores of Liverpool football club fans during a championship celebration, in what many feared was a terrorist attack, according to court proceedings.
“The video was profoundly upsetting.”
Those injured in the incident cried as dashcam footage showed bodies spinning through 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’
The prosecution warned those in court that the video evidence from Doyle’s two-tonne Ford Galaxy proved to be “truly shocking”. The recording revealed the parent yelling “fucking pricks” and “move out of the way” while he headed straight for a large crowd of supporters, with people frantically dragging children to safety as he blasted the horn.
It was stated in court that Doyle acted as a “man in a rage had completely overpowered him” as he ploughed further into the crowd, speeding up while individuals were struck by his vehicle.
Extent of the Injuries
Overall, the former Royal Marine injured 134 people in just seven minutes – including more than 50 who needed hospital treatment. An infant was “remarkably” uninjured even though he was left on the roadway when Doyle’s car hit his pram, the court heard.
One fan, Simon Nash, was shown being thrown into the air by the car, suffering a cut to the back of his head, rib fractures and multiple abrasions.
The defendant was heard screaming “fuck’s sake move! Get out of my path!” before ploughing further into panicked fans, among them an older woman and young children who became trapped beneath the vehicle.
Celebration Descends into Chaos
Addressing a packed courtroom, lawyers said approximately a million individuals had attended “an event they believed to be a day of joyfulness” to celebrate the football club’s championship win. The celebratory atmosphere swiftly became “horror”, the prosecutor said, as Doyle drove into oncoming fans as he attempted to pick up a friend from the parade route.
“Some at the scene thought that what was taking place constituted a terrorist incident.”
Brave Intervention Stops Driver
With injured people on the street, the vehicle’s path was stopped by a former soldier, a man identified in court, who climbed into a rear passenger seat and held the car’s gear selector in “park”. Despite this, Doyle kept his foot on the accelerator, the court heard.
In his police interview, Doyle claimed he reacted in a “blind panic” because he feared for his life. However, the prosecution argued that the dashcam footage demonstrated the defendant “just lost his temper in his determination to reach his destination”. 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
The video indicated Doyle was driving recklessly prior to entering downtown, overtaking cars dangerously and running red lights. He disregarded traffic diversion measures and weaved around other cars, including an ambulance and police cars, as he approached the packed streets.
The defendant is expected to receive a jail term of more than 10 years when he is sentenced on Tuesday.
