Man That Ploughed Into LFC Parade Described as ‘Consumed by Rage’, Court Told.
An ex- Royal Marines Commando was a “man in a rage” when he mowed down scores of Liverpool football club supporters at a championship celebration, an incident many initially feared to be a terrorist attack, a court has heard.
“The video was profoundly upsetting.”
Those injured in the incident cried while video from the car’s camera depicted bodies spinning through the air as he accelerated into crowds and shouted: “Get out of the way!”
The 54-year-old defendant 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 Doyle’s two-tonne Ford Galaxy proved to be “extremely graphic”. It showed the parent yelling “expletives” and “move out of the way” as he drove towards hundreds of fans, some pulling children out of the way as he blasted the horn.
It was stated in court that Doyle was a “man in a rage whose anger had completely taken hold of him” as he ploughed further into the crowd, speeding up while individuals were struck by his vehicle.
Scale of the Carnage
In total, the ex-marine hurt 134 individuals within a mere seven-minute span – including more than 50 requiring hospital care. A six-month-old boy was “miraculously” uninjured even though he was left on the roadway when Doyle’s car hit his pram, according to testimony.
One fan, Simon Nash, was shown being thrown into the air by the vehicle, sustaining a laceration on his head, broken ribs and multiple abrasions.
The defendant could be heard shouting “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
Addressing a packed courtroom, lawyers said approximately a million individuals had attended “an event they believed to be a day of joyfulness” marking the football club’s championship win. The celebratory atmosphere swiftly became “terror”, the prosecutor said, as Doyle drove into oncoming fans as he attempted to pick up a friend who had been at the parade.
“Witnesses believed 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 an ex-army member, 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, Doyle claimed he acted in a “blind panic” because he feared for his life. Yet, the prosecution argued that the dashcam footage showed the defendant “simply lost control in his determination to reach his destination”. The prosecutor added: “In a rage, he drove into the crowd and in doing so he intended to cause them serious harm.”
Dangerous Driving Prior to Incident
Footage indicated Doyle had been driving dangerously prior to entering downtown, overtaking cars dangerously and jumping red lights. He disregarded road closures and bypassed other vehicles, even emergency service vehicles, as he entered the crowds.
The defendant is expected to receive a prison sentence of over a decade when he is sentenced on Tuesday.
