Driver Who Ploughed Into Liverpool FC Victory Parade Was ‘Consumed by Rage’, Court Told.
A former Royal Marine was a “person consumed by fury” as he mowed down dozens of LFC fans at a championship celebration, an incident many initially feared to be a act of terrorism, according to court proceedings.
“The footage is truly shocking.”
Victims in the incident cried while dashcam footage depicted people being thrown into the air while he sped towards the gathering and shouted: “Fucking hell, move!”
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 against 21 adults and eight children.
‘A Man in a Rage’
Prosecutors warned the court that the footage from Doyle’s large people carrier was “extremely graphic”. It showed the parent shouting “fucking pricks” and “fucking move” while he headed straight for a large crowd of supporters, some pulling children out of the way as his car horn blared.
The court was told that Doyle was a “individual whose anger had completely overpowered him” as he continued driving into the mass of people, speeding up while individuals were struck by his vehicle.
Extent of the Injuries
In total, the former Royal Marine injured 134 individuals in just seven minutes – with over fifty who needed hospital treatment. A six-month-old boy was “miraculously” unharmed even though he was left on the roadway after the vehicle struck his stroller, the court heard.
One fan, a man named in court, was shown being thrown into the air by the vehicle, sustaining a laceration to the back of his head, rib fractures and numerous scrapes.
The defendant was heard screaming “for God’s sake move! Get out of my path!” prior to driving deeper into panicked fans, among them an older woman and young children who became trapped beneath the vehicle.
Scene of Jubilation Turns to Horror
Addressing a packed courtroom, the prosecution said about 1 million people had attended “what they thought would be a joyous occasion” marking Liverpool winning their 20th league title. Scenes of jubilation turned to “horror”, it was said, when the driver entered the crowd while trying to collect a companion from the parade route.
“Some at the scene believed what was taking place was a terrorist attack.”
Rampage Halted by Heroic Act
With injured people on the street, Doyle’s rampage 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”. Despite this, Doyle continued pressing the gas pedal, the court heard.
In his police interview, Doyle claimed he reacted in a “state of sheer panic” due to a fear for his safety. Yet, prosecutors contended that the video showed the defendant “simply lost control in his determination to reach his destination”. It was further stated: “Consumed by anger, he drove into the crowd and in doing so his intent was to cause serious injury.”
Reckless Behavior Before the Attack
The video showed Doyle had been driving dangerously before he reached the city centre, overtaking cars dangerously and running red lights. He ignored traffic diversion measures and weaved around other cars, including an ambulance and police cars, as he approached the packed streets.
Doyle is understood to be facing a jail term of over a decade at his sentencing hearing.
