Driver Who Drove Into LFC Victory Parade Was ‘In a Rage’, Court Hears.
An ex- Royal Marine acted as a “man in a rage” when he mowed down dozens of Liverpool football club supporters during a victory parade, in what many feared was a terrorist attack, according to court proceedings.
“The video is profoundly upsetting.”
Those injured in the incident wept as dashcam footage showed bodies spinning through the air while he sped towards the gathering and shouted: “Get out of the way!”
The 54-year-old defendant is due to be sentenced on Tuesday after pleading guilty at the start of his trial last month to 31 criminal charges against 29 victims, including eight minors.
‘Consumed by Anger’
The prosecution stated the court that the video evidence from the defendant’s two-tonne Ford Galaxy proved to be “extremely graphic”. It showed the parent shouting “fucking pricks” and “move out of the way” as he drove towards a large crowd of supporters, with people frantically dragging children to safety as he blasted the horn.
The court was told that Doyle was a “man in a rage 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 former Royal Marine hurt 134 individuals within a mere seven-minute span – with over fifty requiring hospital care. A six-month-old boy was “remarkably” uninjured even though he was left on the roadway 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, rib fractures and multiple abrasions.
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 were dragged under the car.
Celebration Descends into Chaos
Addressing a packed courtroom, lawyers said about 1 million people had attended “an event they believed to be a day of joyfulness” to celebrate the football club’s championship win. Scenes of jubilation turned to “terror”, the prosecutor said, when the driver entered the crowd while trying to collect a companion from the parade route.
“Witnesses believed what was taking place constituted a terrorist incident.”
Rampage Halted by Heroic Act
As bodies lay on the ground, the vehicle’s path was stopped by a former soldier, Dan Barr, who climbed into a rear passenger seat and forced the gearstick into park. Even then, Doyle kept his foot on the accelerator, the court heard.
During questioning, Doyle stated he acted in a “blind panic” because he feared for his life. Yet, the prosecution argued that the video demonstrated Doyle “simply lost control in his desire to get to where he wanted to get to”. The prosecutor added: “Consumed by anger, he targeted 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.
The defendant is expected to receive a prison sentence of over a decade when he is sentenced on Tuesday.
