Man Who Drove Into LFC Parade Described as ‘In a Rage’, Trial Told.
An ex- Royal Marine was a “person consumed by fury” as he drove into dozens of Liverpool football club fans at a victory parade, in what many feared was a terrorist attack, according to court proceedings.
“The video is truly shocking.”
Those injured in the incident cried as dashcam footage depicted bodies spinning through the air as he accelerated into crowds while screaming: “Get out of the way!”
The 54-year-old defendant will learn his fate on Tuesday following his guilty plea on the first day of his trial last month to 31 criminal charges involving 21 adults and eight children.
‘A Man in a Rage’
The prosecution warned the court that the video evidence from Doyle’s two-tonne Ford Galaxy proved to be “extremely graphic”. The recording revealed the father of three yelling “fucking pricks” and “move out of the way” as he drove towards hundreds of fans, with people frantically dragging children to safety as he blasted the horn.
The court was told that Doyle acted as a “man in a rage had completely overpowered him” as he ploughed further into the crowd, accelerating while individuals were struck by his vehicle.
Extent of the Injuries
Overall, the ex-marine injured 134 people within a mere seven-minute span – including more than 50 who needed hospital treatment. A six-month-old boy was “remarkably” uninjured despite being left splayed on the road after the vehicle struck his stroller, according to testimony.
One fan, a man named in court, was shown being thrown into the air by the car, sustaining a cut on his head, broken ribs and numerous scrapes.
The defendant could be heard shouting “fuck’s sake move! Get out of my path!” prior to driving deeper into panicked fans, including an elderly woman and children who were dragged under the car.
Celebration Descends into Chaos
Addressing a packed courtroom, lawyers said about 1 million people had attended “what they thought would be a day of joyfulness” to celebrate Liverpool winning their 20th league title. The celebratory atmosphere turned to “horror”, the prosecutor said, when the driver entered the crowd while trying to collect a companion from the parade route.
“Witnesses thought that what was taking place constituted a terrorist incident.”
Brave Intervention Stops Driver
With injured people on the street, the vehicle’s path was brought to a halt 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 continued pressing the gas pedal, the court heard.
In his police interview, Doyle stated he reacted in a “state of sheer panic” due to a fear for his safety. However, prosecutors contended that the dashcam footage demonstrated the defendant “simply lost control in his desire to get to where he wanted to get to”. It was further stated: “In a rage, he targeted the crowd and in doing so his intent was to cause serious injury.”
Reckless Behavior Before the Attack
Footage indicated the driver had been driving dangerously prior to entering downtown, undertaking cars at speed and jumping red lights. He ignored 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 when he is sentenced on Tuesday.
