Man Who Drove Through Liverpool FC Victory Parade Described as ‘Consumed by Rage’, Trial Hears.
An ex- Royal Marine was a “man in a rage” as he mowed down dozens of LFC fans at a victory parade, an incident many initially feared to be a terrorist attack, according to court proceedings.
“The video is truly shocking.”
Those injured in the incident wept as video from the car’s camera depicted bodies spinning through the air while he sped towards the gathering and shouted: “Get out of the way!”
Doyle, 54, will learn his fate on Tuesday after pleading guilty at the start of his trial last month to 31 criminal charges involving 29 victims, including eight minors.
‘Consumed by Anger’
Prosecutors warned the court that the video evidence from Doyle’s two-tonne Ford Galaxy was “truly shocking”. The recording revealed the parent yelling “fucking pricks” as well as “move out of the way” while he headed straight for a large crowd of supporters, some pulling children out of the way as he blasted the horn.
The court was told that Doyle acted as a “individual whose anger whose anger had completely taken hold of him” as he ploughed further into the crowd, accelerating as people collided with his car.
Scale of the Carnage
Overall, the former Royal Marine hurt 134 individuals within a mere seven-minute span – including more than 50 requiring hospital care. 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, suffering a cut on his head, broken ribs and multiple abrasions.
The defendant could be heard shouting “fuck’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.
Scene of Jubilation Turns to Horror
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. Scenes of jubilation swiftly became “terror”, it was said, when the driver entered the crowd as he attempted to pick up a friend from the parade route.
“Some at the scene believed what was taking place was a terrorist attack.”
Brave Intervention Stops Driver
With injured people on the street, Doyle’s rampage was stopped by a former soldier, a man identified in court, who climbed into a rear passenger seat and forced the gearstick into park. Even then, Doyle kept his foot on the accelerator, according to evidence.
During questioning, Doyle stated he acted in a “blind panic” due to a fear for his safety. Yet, prosecutors contended that the video showed the defendant “simply lost control in his determination to reach his destination”. It was further stated: “Consumed by anger, he targeted the crowd and in doing so he intended to cause them serious harm.”
Dangerous Driving Prior to Incident
The video showed the driver had been driving dangerously before he reached the city centre, overtaking cars dangerously and running red lights. He disregarded road closures and weaved around other vehicles, even emergency service vehicles, as he approached the packed streets.
Doyle is expected to receive a prison sentence of over a decade at his sentencing hearing.
