Man Who Ploughed Through LFC Parade Was ‘In a Rage’, Trial Hears.
A former Royal Marines Commando was a “man in a rage” as he mowed down dozens of Liverpool football club supporters at a victory parade, in what many feared was a act of terrorism, according to court proceedings.
“The footage is truly shocking.”
Victims in the incident wept while dashcam footage showed bodies spinning through the air while he sped towards the gathering while screaming: “Fucking hell, move!”
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 involving 29 victims, including eight minors.
‘Consumed by Anger’
The prosecution stated those in court that the footage from Doyle’s large people carrier proved to be “extremely graphic”. It showed the father of three yelling “expletives” and “move out of the way” while he headed straight for hundreds of fans, with people frantically dragging children to safety as his car horn blared.
The court was told that Doyle acted as a “man in a rage whose anger had completely taken hold of him” as he ploughed further into the crowd, speeding up as people collided with his car.
Extent of the Injuries
Overall, the ex-marine hurt 134 individuals within a mere seven-minute span – with over fifty who needed hospital treatment. An infant was “remarkably” uninjured despite being left splayed on the road after the vehicle struck his stroller, according to testimony.
A supporter, Simon Nash, was shown being thrown into the air by the car, sustaining a laceration on his head, rib fractures and numerous scrapes.
The defendant was heard screaming “fuck’s sake move! Get out my fucking way!” prior to driving deeper into panicked fans, among them an older woman and young children who became trapped beneath the vehicle.
Celebration Descends into Chaos
Speaking to a full court, 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. Scenes of jubilation turned to “terror”, it was said, when the driver entered the crowd while trying to collect a companion who had been at the parade.
“Witnesses thought that what was taking place constituted a terrorist incident.”
Rampage Halted by Heroic Act
With injured people on the street, Doyle’s rampage was brought to a halt by an ex-army member, Dan Barr, who entered the back of the car and held the car’s gear selector in “park”. Even then, Doyle kept his foot on the accelerator, the court heard.
In his police interview, the defendant claimed he acted in a “state of sheer panic” because he feared for his life. Yet, prosecutors contended that the video showed Doyle “simply lost control in his desire to get to where he wanted to get to”. The prosecutor added: “In a rage, he targeted the crowd and in doing so he intended to cause them serious harm.”
Reckless Behavior Before the Attack
Footage showed the driver was driving recklessly before he reached the city centre, overtaking cars dangerously and jumping red lights. He disregarded road closures and weaved around other cars, even emergency service vehicles, as he approached the packed streets.
The defendant is understood to be facing a prison sentence of more than 10 years at his sentencing hearing.
