Driver Who Drove Into LFC Parade Was ‘Consumed by Rage’, Trial Hears.
An ex- Royal Marine was a “man in a rage” as he drove into scores of Liverpool football club fans during a championship celebration, an incident many initially feared to be a act of terrorism, according to court proceedings.
“The video was deeply disturbing.”
Those injured in the incident wept as video from the car’s camera depicted people being thrown into the air as he accelerated into crowds and shouted: “Fucking hell, move!”
The 54-year-old defendant will learn his fate on Tuesday following his guilty plea at the start of his trial last month to 31 offences involving 21 adults and eight children.
‘Consumed by Anger’
The prosecution stated the court that the video evidence from Doyle’s large people carrier was “extremely graphic”. The recording revealed the parent yelling “fucking pricks” as well as “fucking move” 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 continued driving into the mass of people, accelerating as people collided with his car.
Scale of the Carnage
Overall, the ex-marine hurt 134 people within a mere seven-minute span – with over fifty who needed hospital treatment. A six-month-old boy was “remarkably” uninjured despite being left splayed on the road when Doyle’s car hit his pram, according to testimony.
A supporter, a man named in court, was shown being thrown into the air by the vehicle, suffering a laceration to the back of his head, broken ribs and multiple abrasions.
Doyle was heard screaming “for God’s sake move! Get out of my path!” before ploughing further 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” to celebrate Liverpool winning their 20th league title. Scenes of jubilation swiftly became “horror”, the prosecutor said, as Doyle drove into oncoming fans as he attempted to pick up a friend from the parade route.
“Witnesses thought that the events unfolding constituted a terrorist incident.”
Brave Intervention Stops Driver
As bodies lay on the ground, Doyle’s rampage was brought to a halt by an ex-army member, Dan Barr, who entered the back of the car and forced the gearstick into park. Despite this, Doyle kept his foot on the accelerator, the court heard.
In his police interview, Doyle claimed he acted in a “state of sheer panic” because he feared for his life. However, prosecutors contended that the video showed the defendant “just lost his temper in his desire to get to where he wanted to get to”. The prosecutor added: “Consumed by anger, he drove into the crowd and in doing so he intended to cause them serious harm.”
Dangerous Driving Prior to Incident
The video showed Doyle was driving recklessly prior to entering downtown, undertaking cars at speed and jumping red lights. He ignored traffic diversion measures and bypassed other vehicles, even emergency service vehicles, as he approached the packed streets.
Doyle is understood to be facing a jail term of more than 10 years when he is sentenced on Tuesday.
