Driver That Drove Into Liverpool FC Parade Described as ‘In a Rage’, Court Told.
A former Royal Marine acted as a “man in a rage” when he drove into dozens of Liverpool football club supporters during a championship celebration, an incident many initially feared to be a act of terrorism, a court has heard.
“The video is profoundly upsetting.”
Those injured in the incident cried while dashcam footage showed bodies spinning through the air as he accelerated into crowds while screaming: “Fucking hell, move!”
The 54-year-old defendant will learn his fate on Tuesday after pleading guilty 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 stated those in court that the video evidence from Doyle’s two-tonne Ford Galaxy was “extremely graphic”. It showed the father of three shouting “fucking pricks” as well as “fucking move” as he drove towards hundreds of fans, with people frantically dragging children to safety as he blasted the horn.
The court was told that Doyle acted as a “man in a rage had completely overpowered him” as he ploughed further into the crowd, accelerating while individuals were struck by his vehicle.
Scale of the Carnage
Overall, the former Royal Marine injured 134 people within a mere seven-minute span – including more than 50 requiring hospital care. A six-month-old boy was “miraculously” unharmed despite being left splayed on the road when Doyle’s car hit his pram, according to testimony.
One fan, Simon Nash, was seen being launched into the air by the car, suffering a laceration to the back of his head, rib fractures and numerous scrapes.
Doyle was heard screaming “for God’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, the prosecution 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 turned to “terror”, the prosecutor said, as Doyle drove into oncoming fans as he attempted to pick up a friend from the parade route.
“Witnesses believed what was taking place constituted a terrorist incident.”
Brave Intervention Stops Driver
With injured people on the street, Doyle’s rampage was stopped by an ex-army member, Dan Barr, 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 “blind panic” due to a fear for his safety. However, prosecutors contended that the dashcam footage demonstrated Doyle “simply lost control in his determination to reach his destination”. The prosecutor added: “In a rage, he drove into the crowd and in doing so he intended to cause them serious harm.”
Dangerous Driving Prior to Incident
Footage showed Doyle had been driving dangerously prior to entering downtown, overtaking cars dangerously and jumping red lights. He ignored traffic diversion measures and weaved around other cars, even emergency service vehicles, as he entered the crowds.
The defendant is understood to be facing a prison sentence of over a decade at his sentencing hearing.
