Man That Drove Into LFC Victory Parade Was ‘In a Rage’, Trial Told.
A former Royal Marine acted as a “man in a rage” when he drove into dozens of LFC fans during a victory parade, in what many feared was a terrorist attack, according to court proceedings.
“The video is deeply disturbing.”
Those injured in the incident wept as video from the car’s camera showed bodies spinning through the air while he sped towards the gathering while screaming: “Get out of the way!”
Doyle, 54, 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.
‘A Man in a Rage’
The prosecution warned the court that the footage from the defendant’s two-tonne Ford Galaxy was “truly shocking”. It showed the parent yelling “fucking pricks” and “move out of the way” as he drove towards a large crowd of supporters, some pulling children out of the way as he blasted the horn.
It was stated in court that Doyle was a “individual whose anger whose anger had completely taken hold of him” as he ploughed further into the crowd, speeding up as people collided with his car.
Scale of the Carnage
Overall, the ex-marine injured 134 individuals within a mere seven-minute span – with over fifty requiring hospital care. An infant was “remarkably” unharmed even though he was left on the roadway when Doyle’s car hit his pram, the court heard.
One fan, Simon Nash, was shown being thrown into the air by the car, sustaining a cut to the back of his head, broken ribs and multiple abrasions.
Doyle could be heard shouting “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 were dragged under the car.
Scene of Jubilation Turns to Horror
Speaking to a full court, the prosecution said approximately a million individuals had attended “an event they believed to be a joyous occasion” to celebrate Liverpool winning their 20th league title. Scenes of jubilation turned to “terror”, it was said, when the driver entered the crowd as he attempted to pick up a friend from the parade route.
“Some at the scene thought that what was taking place was a terrorist attack.”
Brave Intervention Stops Driver
With injured people on the street, Doyle’s rampage was stopped by a former soldier, a man identified in court, who climbed into a rear passenger seat and held the car’s gear selector in “park”. Even then, Doyle continued pressing the gas pedal, the court heard.
During questioning, Doyle claimed he acted in a “blind panic” because he feared for his life. Yet, prosecutors contended that the dashcam footage showed Doyle “simply lost control in his desire to get to where he wanted to get to”. It was further stated: “Consumed by anger, he drove into the crowd and as he did so his intent was to cause serious injury.”
Dangerous Driving Prior to Incident
The video indicated Doyle had been driving dangerously prior to entering downtown, overtaking cars dangerously and running red lights. He disregarded road closures and weaved around other vehicles, even emergency service vehicles, as he entered the crowds.
The defendant is understood to be facing a prison sentence of over a decade at his sentencing hearing.
