Driver Who Drove Through Liverpool FC Parade Described as ‘Consumed by Rage’, Trial Hears.
An ex- Royal Marine was a “person consumed by fury” as he drove into scores of LFC fans at a victory parade, in what many feared was a act of terrorism, according to court proceedings.
“The footage was deeply disturbing.”
Victims in the incident wept while video from the car’s camera depicted 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 following his guilty plea on the first day of his trial last month to 31 criminal charges against 21 adults and eight children.
‘A Man in a Rage’
Prosecutors warned those in court that the video evidence from the defendant’s two-tonne Ford Galaxy was “truly shocking”. The recording revealed the father of three yelling “fucking pricks” and “fucking move” while he headed straight for 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 “man in a rage had completely overpowered him” as he continued driving into the mass of people, accelerating as people collided with his car.
Scale of the Carnage
In total, the ex-marine injured 134 individuals within a mere seven-minute span – 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 vehicle, suffering a cut on his head, broken ribs and multiple abrasions.
Doyle was heard screaming “for God’s sake move! Get out my fucking way!” 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 “what they thought would be a day of joyfulness” marking Liverpool winning their 20th league title. Scenes of jubilation turned to “terror”, the prosecutor said, when the driver entered the crowd as he attempted to pick up a friend from the parade route.
“Witnesses believed the events unfolding constituted a terrorist incident.”
Rampage Halted by Heroic Act
As bodies lay on the ground, Doyle’s rampage was brought to a halt by an ex-army member, Dan Barr, who climbed into a rear passenger seat and held the car’s gear selector in “park”. Even then, Doyle continued pressing the gas pedal, according to evidence.
During questioning, Doyle stated he acted in a “state of sheer panic” due to a fear for his safety. However, 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 drove into the crowd and as he did so his intent was to cause serious injury.”
Dangerous Driving Prior to Incident
The video showed the driver was driving recklessly before he reached the city centre, overtaking cars dangerously and jumping red lights. He ignored traffic diversion measures 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.
