Driver That Drove Into Liverpool FC Victory Parade Described as ‘In a Rage’, Court Told.
An ex- Royal Marine acted as a “person consumed by fury” as he mowed down dozens of LFC fans at a victory parade, an incident many initially feared to be a act of terrorism, a court has heard.
“The video was deeply disturbing.”
Victims in the incident cried while dashcam footage depicted people being thrown into the air as he accelerated into crowds while screaming: “Fucking hell, move!”
The 54-year-old defendant is due to be sentenced on Tuesday following his guilty plea on the first day of his trial last month to 31 offences against 29 victims, including eight minors.
‘Consumed by Anger’
The prosecution warned those in court that the video evidence from Doyle’s two-tonne Ford Galaxy proved to be “truly shocking”. The recording revealed the parent shouting “expletives” and “move out of the way” while he headed straight for hundreds of fans, with people frantically dragging children to safety as he blasted the horn.
It was stated in court that Doyle was a “individual whose anger had completely overpowered him” as he ploughed further into the crowd, accelerating as people collided with his car.
Scale of the Carnage
Overall, the former Royal Marine injured 134 individuals in just seven minutes – including more than 50 who needed hospital treatment. An infant was “miraculously” unharmed despite being left splayed on the road when Doyle’s car hit his pram, the court heard.
One fan, a man named in court, was shown being thrown into the air by the vehicle, suffering a cut 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!” prior to driving deeper into panicked fans, including an elderly woman and children who were dragged under the car.
Celebration Descends into Chaos
Speaking to a full court, lawyers said about 1 million people had attended “an event they believed to be a day of joyfulness” marking the football club’s championship win. Scenes of jubilation swiftly became “horror”, the prosecutor said, as Doyle drove into oncoming fans as he attempted to pick up a friend who had been at the parade.
“Some at the scene thought that the events unfolding was a terrorist attack.”
Rampage Halted by Heroic Act
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. Even then, Doyle continued pressing the gas pedal, the court heard.
In his police interview, Doyle claimed he acted in a “blind panic” because he feared for his life. However, the prosecution argued that the dashcam footage showed Doyle “simply lost control in his determination to reach his destination”. The prosecutor added: “In a rage, he targeted the crowd and in doing so he intended to cause them serious harm.”
Dangerous Driving Prior to Incident
The video indicated Doyle had been driving dangerously prior to entering downtown, overtaking cars dangerously and jumping red lights. He disregarded road closures and weaved around other cars, even emergency service vehicles, as he entered the crowds.
Doyle is expected to receive a prison sentence of over a decade when he is sentenced on Tuesday.
