Driver Who Drove Through LFC Parade Described as ‘In a Rage’, Court Told.
A former Royal Marine acted as a “person consumed by fury” as he drove into dozens of Liverpool football club supporters during a championship celebration, in what many feared was a act of terrorism, a court has heard.
“The video was truly shocking.”
Those injured in the incident cried as dashcam footage depicted people being thrown into the air as he accelerated into crowds while screaming: “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 offences against 21 adults and eight children.
‘Consumed by Anger’
Prosecutors warned the court that the footage from the defendant’s large people carrier was “truly shocking”. It showed the father of three shouting “fucking pricks” as well as “fucking move” while he headed straight for hundreds of fans, some pulling children out of the way as he blasted the horn.
It was stated in court 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, accelerating as people collided with his car.
Scale of the Carnage
In total, the ex-marine injured 134 people within a mere seven-minute span – including more than 50 requiring hospital care. A six-month-old boy was “remarkably” 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 vehicle, suffering a laceration on his head, rib fractures and numerous scrapes.
Doyle was heard screaming “for God’s sake move! Get out of my path!” prior to driving deeper into panicked fans, 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” marking the football club’s championship win. The celebratory atmosphere turned to “horror”, the prosecutor said, as Doyle drove into oncoming fans as he attempted to pick up a friend from the parade route.
“Witnesses believed the events unfolding constituted a terrorist incident.”
Rampage Halted by Heroic Act
With injured people on the street, the vehicle’s path was stopped by a former soldier, a man identified in court, who climbed into a rear passenger seat and forced the gearstick into park. Despite this, Doyle continued pressing the gas pedal, the court heard.
During questioning, the defendant stated he acted in a “state of sheer panic” because he feared for his life. However, prosecutors contended that the dashcam footage demonstrated the defendant “simply lost control in his desire to get to where he wanted to get to”. 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 the driver was driving recklessly before he reached the city centre, undertaking cars at speed and running red lights. He disregarded traffic diversion measures and weaved around other vehicles, even emergency service vehicles, as he entered the crowds.
Doyle is understood to be facing a jail term of over a decade when he is sentenced on Tuesday.
