Man That Drove Into Liverpool FC Victory Parade Was ‘In a Rage’, Trial Hears.
A former Royal Marine acted as a “man in a rage” as he drove into scores of LFC supporters during a championship celebration, an incident many initially feared to be a act of terrorism, according to court proceedings.
“The footage was deeply disturbing.”
Those injured in the incident wept as 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 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’
Prosecutors warned those in court that the video evidence from Doyle’s large people carrier proved to be “extremely graphic”. It showed the father of three yelling “expletives” and “fucking move” while he headed straight for hundreds of fans, some pulling children out of the way as he blasted the horn.
It was stated in court that Doyle was a “individual whose anger had completely overpowered him” as he continued driving into the mass of people, speeding up as people collided with his car.
Scale of the Carnage
In total, the former Royal Marine injured 134 individuals within a mere seven-minute span – with over fifty who needed hospital treatment. A six-month-old boy was “miraculously” uninjured despite being left splayed on the road after the vehicle struck his stroller, according to testimony.
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, broken ribs and multiple abrasions.
The defendant was heard screaming “for God’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
Speaking to a full court, the prosecution said about 1 million people had attended “what they thought would be a joyous occasion” marking Liverpool winning their 20th league title. The celebratory atmosphere swiftly became “horror”, it was said, as Doyle drove into oncoming fans while trying to collect a companion who had been at the parade.
“Witnesses believed what was taking place was a terrorist attack.”
Rampage Halted by Heroic Act
With injured people on the street, the vehicle’s path was stopped by an ex-army member, Dan Barr, 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, according to evidence.
In his police interview, the defendant stated he acted in a “blind panic” due to a fear for his safety. However, prosecutors contended that the video demonstrated the defendant “just lost his temper in his determination to reach his destination”. It was further stated: “Consumed by anger, he drove into the crowd and in doing so he intended to cause them serious harm.”
Reckless Behavior Before the Attack
The video showed the driver was driving recklessly prior to entering downtown, undertaking cars at speed and running red lights. He ignored traffic diversion measures and weaved around other vehicles, even emergency service vehicles, as he approached the packed streets.
Doyle is expected to receive a jail term of over a decade at his sentencing hearing.