Man Who Drove Into Liverpool FC Parade Described as ‘In a Rage’, Court Told.
An ex- Royal Marine was a “man in a rage” as he mowed down scores of LFC fans at a victory parade, an incident many initially feared to be a act of terrorism, according to court proceedings.
“The video is truly shocking.”
Those injured in the incident cried 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 will learn his fate on Tuesday following his guilty plea at the start of his trial last month to 31 criminal charges involving 21 adults and eight children.
‘Consumed by Anger’
Prosecutors stated those in court that the video evidence from the defendant’s two-tonne Ford Galaxy was “truly shocking”. It showed the parent shouting “fucking pricks” and “move out of the way” 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 acted as 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.
Extent of the Injuries
In total, the former Royal Marine injured 134 people within a mere seven-minute span – with over fifty requiring hospital care. An infant was “remarkably” uninjured even though he was left on the roadway when Doyle’s car hit his pram, according to testimony.
One fan, a man named in court, was seen being launched into the air by the vehicle, sustaining a cut on his head, broken ribs and numerous scrapes.
The defendant could be heard shouting “fuck’s sake move! Get out of my path!” before ploughing further into screaming supporters, including an elderly woman and children who became trapped beneath the vehicle.
Celebration Descends into Chaos
Addressing a packed courtroom, lawyers said approximately a million individuals were present at “what they thought would be a day of joyfulness” to celebrate the football club’s championship win. Scenes of jubilation swiftly became “terror”, it was said, when the driver entered the crowd while trying to collect a companion who had been at the parade.
“Witnesses believed the events unfolding constituted a terrorist incident.”
Brave Intervention Stops Driver
With injured people on the street, the vehicle’s path was brought to a halt by a former soldier, a man identified in court, who entered the back of the car and held the car’s gear selector in “park”. Even then, Doyle kept his foot on the accelerator, the court heard.
In his police interview, Doyle stated he acted in a “state of sheer panic” due to a fear for his safety. However, prosecutors contended that the dashcam footage demonstrated the defendant “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 as he did so his intent was to cause serious injury.”
Dangerous Driving Prior to Incident
Footage showed Doyle was driving recklessly before he reached the city centre, undertaking cars at speed and running red lights. He disregarded traffic diversion measures and bypassed other vehicles, even emergency service vehicles, as he entered the crowds.
The defendant is expected to receive a prison sentence of more than 10 years when he is sentenced on Tuesday.
