Driver That Drove Into Liverpool FC Victory Parade Was ‘Consumed by Rage’, Court Told.
A former Royal Marine acted as a “man in a rage” as he mowed down dozens of Liverpool football club fans during a championship celebration, in what many feared was a act of terrorism, according to court proceedings.
“The video is profoundly upsetting.”
Those injured in the incident wept as dashcam footage depicted 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 on the first day of his trial last month to 31 criminal charges involving 21 adults and eight children.
‘A Man in a Rage’
The prosecution warned the court that the video evidence from the defendant’s large people carrier was “truly shocking”. It showed the parent shouting “expletives” and “move out of the way” as he drove towards a large crowd of supporters, with people frantically dragging children to safety as his car horn blared.
The court was told that Doyle was a “individual whose anger whose anger had completely taken hold of him” as he continued driving into the mass of people, speeding up as people collided with his car.
Scale of the Carnage
In total, 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 “miraculously” unharmed even though he was left on the roadway when Doyle’s car hit his pram, the court heard.
A supporter, Simon Nash, was shown being thrown into the air by the vehicle, sustaining a laceration on his head, broken ribs and multiple abrasions.
The defendant was heard screaming “for God’s sake move! Get out my fucking way!” prior to driving deeper into panicked fans, including an elderly woman and children who were dragged under the car.
Scene of Jubilation Turns to Horror
Addressing a packed courtroom, lawyers said about 1 million people had attended “an event they believed to be a joyous occasion” to celebrate the football club’s championship win. Scenes of jubilation swiftly became “horror”, it was said, as Doyle drove into oncoming fans as he attempted to pick up a friend from the parade route.
“Witnesses thought that the events unfolding was a terrorist attack.”
Rampage Halted by Heroic Act
With injured people on the street, the vehicle’s path was brought to a halt by an ex-army member, Dan Barr, who entered the back of the car and forced the gearstick into park. Despite this, Doyle kept his foot on the accelerator, the court heard.
In his police interview, the defendant claimed he acted in a “state of sheer panic” due to a fear for his safety. Yet, prosecutors contended that the video showed Doyle “just lost his temper in his desire to get to where he wanted to get to”. The prosecutor added: “Consumed by anger, he drove into the crowd and as he did so his intent was to cause serious injury.”
Reckless Behavior Before the Attack
The video indicated the driver was driving recklessly prior to entering downtown, overtaking cars dangerously and jumping 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 expected to receive a prison sentence of more than 10 years when he is sentenced on Tuesday.
