Man Who Ploughed Into Liverpool FC Parade Described as ‘In a Rage’, Trial Hears.
An ex- Royal Marine was a “man in a rage” when he mowed down 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.”
Victims in the incident cried while dashcam footage showed bodies spinning through the air as he accelerated into crowds and shouted: “Fucking hell, move!”
Doyle, 54, is due to be sentenced on Tuesday after pleading guilty on the first day of his trial last month to 31 criminal charges against 29 victims, including eight minors.
‘A Man in a Rage’
Prosecutors stated the court that the footage from Doyle’s two-tonne Ford Galaxy was “truly shocking”. It showed the father of three shouting “expletives” as well as “move out of the way” as he drove towards hundreds of fans, with people frantically dragging children to safety as he blasted the horn.
It was stated in court that Doyle acted as a “man in a rage had completely overpowered him” as he continued driving into the mass of people, accelerating while individuals were struck by his vehicle.
Extent of the Injuries
In total, the ex-marine hurt 134 individuals within a mere seven-minute span – including more than 50 who needed hospital treatment. An infant was “miraculously” uninjured even though he was left on the roadway after the vehicle struck his stroller, according to testimony.
One fan, Simon Nash, was seen being launched into the air by the car, sustaining a laceration to the back of his head, broken ribs and numerous scrapes.
The defendant was heard screaming “fuck’s sake move! Get out of my path!” prior to driving deeper into screaming supporters, among them an older woman and young children who became trapped beneath the vehicle.
Celebration Descends into Chaos
Speaking to a full court, the prosecution said about 1 million people had attended “an event they believed to be a joyous occasion” marking Liverpool winning their 20th league title. The celebratory atmosphere swiftly became “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 believed what was taking place was a terrorist attack.”
Brave Intervention Stops Driver
With injured people on the street, Doyle’s rampage was stopped by an ex-army member, Dan Barr, who climbed into a rear passenger seat and forced the gearstick into park. Despite this, Doyle continued pressing the gas pedal, according to evidence.
During questioning, the defendant claimed he acted in a “state of sheer panic” due to a fear for his safety. Yet, prosecutors contended that the video demonstrated Doyle “just lost his temper in his desire to get to where he wanted to get to”. The prosecutor added: “In a rage, he drove into the crowd and in doing so he intended to cause them serious harm.”
Dangerous Driving Prior to Incident
The video showed the driver had been driving dangerously prior to entering downtown, overtaking cars dangerously and running red lights. He disregarded road closures and bypassed other cars, including an ambulance and police cars, as he entered the crowds.
Doyle is expected to receive a jail term of more than 10 years when he is sentenced on Tuesday.