Driver That Drove Through Liverpool FC Parade Described as ‘Consumed by Rage’, Court Hears.
A former Royal Marine acted as a “person consumed by fury” as he drove into scores of LFC supporters at a victory parade, in what many feared was a terrorist attack, according to court proceedings.
“The footage was profoundly upsetting.”
Victims in the incident wept while video from the car’s camera depicted bodies spinning through the air while he sped towards the gathering and shouted: “Fucking hell, move!”
Doyle, 54, will learn his fate on Tuesday following his guilty plea at the start of his trial last month to 31 offences involving 29 victims, including eight minors.
‘Consumed by Anger’
Prosecutors stated those in court that the footage from the defendant’s large people carrier was “truly shocking”. It showed the parent shouting “fucking pricks” as well as “move out of the way” as he drove towards a large crowd of supporters, some pulling children out of the way as his car horn blared.
It was stated in court 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
Overall, the former Royal Marine injured 134 individuals in just seven minutes – with over fifty who needed hospital treatment. A six-month-old boy was “remarkably” unharmed even though he was left on the roadway after the vehicle struck his stroller, the court heard.
One fan, Simon Nash, was shown being thrown into the air by the vehicle, suffering a cut to the back of his head, rib fractures and multiple abrasions.
The defendant could be heard shouting “for God’s sake move! Get out of my path!” prior to driving deeper into panicked fans, including an elderly woman and children who became trapped beneath the vehicle.
Celebration Descends into Chaos
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. The celebratory atmosphere swiftly became “terror”, the prosecutor said, when the driver entered the crowd as he attempted to pick up a friend from the parade route.
“Witnesses thought that the events unfolding was a terrorist attack.”
Brave Intervention Stops Driver
With injured people on the street, Doyle’s rampage was stopped 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 kept his foot on the accelerator, the court heard.
During questioning, the defendant stated he acted in a “state of sheer panic” due to a fear for his safety. Yet, the prosecution argued that the video showed the defendant “just lost his temper in his determination to reach his destination”. The prosecutor added: “Consumed by anger, he drove into the crowd and in doing so his intent was to cause serious injury.”
Reckless Behavior Before the Attack
The video showed Doyle was driving recklessly prior to entering downtown, undertaking cars at speed and running red lights. He ignored road closures and bypassed other vehicles, 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 at his sentencing hearing.
