Driver That Drove Into Liverpool FC Parade Was ‘Consumed by Rage’, Trial Told.
A former Royal Marine was a “person consumed by fury” as he drove into scores of LFC supporters during a championship celebration, in what many feared was a terrorist attack, a court has heard.
“The video was deeply disturbing.”
Those injured in the incident wept as video from the car’s camera showed bodies spinning through the air as he accelerated into crowds and shouted: “Get out of the way!”
Doyle, 54, is due to be sentenced on Tuesday following his guilty plea at the start of his trial last month to 31 criminal charges against 21 adults and eight children.
‘Consumed by Anger’
Prosecutors stated the court that the footage from Doyle’s two-tonne Ford Galaxy was “extremely graphic”. It showed the parent yelling “expletives” 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 was a “individual whose anger whose anger had completely taken hold of him” as he continued driving into the mass of people, speeding up as people collided with his car.
Extent of the Injuries
Overall, the former Royal Marine injured 134 individuals in just seven minutes – with over fifty who needed hospital treatment. An infant was “miraculously” unharmed 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, suffering a cut on his head, broken ribs and numerous scrapes.
The defendant was heard screaming “for God’s sake move! Get out of my path!” prior to driving deeper into screaming supporters, including an elderly woman and children who were dragged under the car.
Celebration Descends into Chaos
Speaking to a full court, lawyers said approximately a million individuals had attended “what they thought would 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.
“Some at the scene believed the events unfolding constituted a terrorist incident.”
Brave Intervention Stops Driver
With injured people on the street, Doyle’s rampage was stopped 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 stated he reacted in a “state of sheer panic” due to a fear for his safety. Yet, prosecutors contended that the dashcam footage demonstrated Doyle “just lost his temper in his desire to get to where he wanted to get to”. It was further stated: “In a rage, he drove into the crowd and as he did so his intent was to cause serious injury.”
Dangerous Driving Prior to Incident
Footage indicated Doyle had been driving dangerously before he reached the city centre, undertaking cars at speed and jumping red lights. He ignored road closures and weaved around other vehicles, even emergency service vehicles, as he entered the crowds.
The defendant is understood to be facing a jail term of over a decade at his sentencing hearing.
