Man That Drove Through Liverpool FC Victory Parade Was ‘In a Rage’, Trial Hears.
An ex- Royal Marine was a “person consumed by fury” as he mowed down dozens of LFC supporters at a victory parade, an incident many initially feared to be a act of terrorism, according to court proceedings.
“The video is profoundly upsetting.”
Those injured in the incident cried while video from the car’s camera depicted people being thrown into the air while he sped towards the gathering while screaming: “Fucking hell, move!”
The 54-year-old defendant is due to be sentenced on Tuesday following his guilty plea at the start of his trial last month to 31 criminal charges involving 29 victims, including eight minors.
‘Consumed by Anger’
The prosecution warned the court that the video evidence from the defendant’s two-tonne Ford Galaxy proved to be “extremely graphic”. The recording revealed the parent shouting “expletives” as well as “fucking move” 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 “man in a rage had completely overpowered him” as he ploughed further into the crowd, speeding up as people collided with his car.
Scale of the Carnage
In total, the ex-marine injured 134 individuals in just seven minutes – including more than 50 requiring hospital care. A six-month-old boy was “miraculously” uninjured even though he was left on the roadway when Doyle’s car hit his pram, the court heard.
A supporter, a man named in court, was seen being launched into the air by the car, suffering a laceration to the back of his head, rib fractures and numerous scrapes.
Doyle could be heard shouting “fuck’s sake move! Get out of my path!” before ploughing further into panicked fans, including an elderly woman and children who became trapped beneath the vehicle.
Celebration Descends into Chaos
Addressing a packed courtroom, the prosecution said about 1 million people had attended “an event they believed to be a joyous occasion” marking the football club’s championship win. The celebratory atmosphere 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.
“Witnesses believed the events unfolding was a terrorist attack.”
Rampage Halted by Heroic Act
With injured people on the street, the vehicle’s path was stopped by an ex-army member, Dan Barr, who climbed into a rear passenger seat and held the car’s gear selector in “park”. Despite this, Doyle continued pressing the gas pedal, according to evidence.
In his police interview, Doyle claimed he reacted in a “state of sheer panic” because he feared for his life. However, the prosecution argued that the video showed Doyle “just lost his temper in his desire to get to where he wanted to get to”. It was further stated: “Consumed by anger, he targeted the crowd and in doing so his intent was to cause serious injury.”
Dangerous Driving Prior to Incident
Footage indicated Doyle was driving recklessly before he reached the city centre, overtaking cars dangerously and jumping red lights. He disregarded traffic diversion measures and bypassed other cars, including an ambulance and police cars, as he approached the packed streets.
Doyle is understood to be facing a prison sentence of over a decade at his sentencing hearing.
