Man Who Drove Through Liverpool FC Parade Was ‘Consumed by Rage’, Court Hears.
An ex- Royal Marines Commando was a “man in a rage” when he drove into dozens of LFC fans at a championship celebration, in what many feared was a act of terrorism, according to court proceedings.
“The video was deeply disturbing.”
Those injured in the incident wept while dashcam footage depicted people being thrown into the air as he accelerated into crowds while screaming: “Fucking hell, move!”
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 offences involving 29 victims, including eight minors.
‘A Man in a Rage’
The prosecution warned the court that the video evidence from Doyle’s two-tonne Ford Galaxy was “extremely graphic”. It showed the father of three shouting “expletives” and “move out of the way” as he drove towards hundreds of fans, with people frantically dragging children to safety as his car horn blared.
The court was told that Doyle acted as a “individual whose anger whose anger had completely taken hold of him” as he continued driving into the mass of people, speeding up while individuals were struck by his vehicle.
Extent of the Injuries
Overall, the ex-marine injured 134 individuals in just seven minutes – including more than 50 requiring hospital care. An infant was “miraculously” uninjured despite being left splayed on the road after the vehicle struck his stroller, the court heard.
A supporter, Simon Nash, was seen being launched into the air by the vehicle, suffering a cut on his head, rib fractures and multiple abrasions.
The defendant was heard screaming “fuck’s sake move! Get out my fucking way!” prior to driving deeper into panicked fans, among them an older woman and young children who became trapped beneath the vehicle.
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 Liverpool winning their 20th league title. The celebratory atmosphere swiftly became “terror”, it was said, when the driver entered the crowd while trying to collect a companion from the parade route.
“Some at the scene 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, Dan Barr, who climbed into a rear passenger seat and forced the gearstick into park. Even then, Doyle kept his foot on the accelerator, according to evidence.
In his police interview, the defendant claimed he reacted in a “blind panic” due to a fear for his safety. Yet, prosecutors contended that the dashcam footage showed the defendant “simply lost control in his desire to get to where he wanted to get to”. It was further stated: “In a rage, he drove into the crowd and as he did so he intended to cause them serious harm.”
Reckless Behavior Before the Attack
Footage showed the driver was driving recklessly before he reached the city centre, undertaking cars at speed and running red lights. He ignored road closures and weaved around other vehicles, including an ambulance and police cars, as he entered the crowds.
The defendant is understood to be facing a prison sentence of more than 10 years when he is sentenced on Tuesday.
