Man Who Drove Through LFC Victory Parade Was ‘Consumed by Rage’, Court Hears.
A former Royal Marines Commando was a “person consumed by fury” as he drove into scores of Liverpool football club fans during a victory parade, an incident many initially feared to be a act of terrorism, a court has heard.
“The footage was profoundly upsetting.”
Victims in the incident wept as video from the car’s camera depicted people being thrown into the air while he sped towards the gathering while screaming: “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 offences against 21 adults and eight children.
‘Consumed by Anger’
Prosecutors warned those in court that the footage from Doyle’s large people carrier proved to be “truly shocking”. It showed the father of three shouting “fucking pricks” and “fucking move” as he drove towards hundreds of fans, some pulling children out of the way as his car horn blared.
It was stated in court that Doyle was a “individual whose anger whose anger had completely taken hold of 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 people within a mere seven-minute span – with over fifty requiring hospital care. A six-month-old boy was “miraculously” uninjured despite being left splayed on the road when Doyle’s car hit his pram, according to testimony.
One fan, a man named in court, was shown being thrown into the air by the vehicle, suffering a laceration to the back of his head, rib fractures and multiple abrasions.
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
Addressing a packed courtroom, lawyers said approximately a million individuals had attended “what they thought would be a joyous occasion” to celebrate the football club’s championship win. The celebratory atmosphere turned to “horror”, it was said, when the driver entered the crowd as he attempted to pick up a friend who had been at the parade.
“Some at the scene thought that what was taking place was a terrorist attack.”
Rampage Halted by Heroic Act
With injured people on the street, the vehicle’s path was stopped by a former soldier, Dan Barr, who climbed into a rear passenger seat and held the car’s gear selector in “park”. Despite this, Doyle kept his foot on the accelerator, the court heard.
In his police interview, Doyle claimed he acted in a “state of sheer panic” because he feared for his life. Yet, prosecutors contended that the dashcam footage demonstrated Doyle “just lost his temper in his determination to reach his destination”. The prosecutor added: “Consumed by anger, he drove into the crowd and as he did so he intended to cause them serious harm.”
Dangerous Driving Prior to Incident
The video showed the driver was driving recklessly prior to entering downtown, undertaking cars at speed and running red lights. He disregarded traffic diversion measures and weaved around other cars, including an ambulance and police cars, as he entered the crowds.
Doyle is expected to receive a prison sentence of more than 10 years when he is sentenced on Tuesday.
