Man Who Drove Into Liverpool FC Victory Parade Was ‘Consumed by Rage’, Court Hears.
An ex- Royal Marine was a “man in a rage” when he mowed down dozens of Liverpool football club fans at a victory parade, in what many feared was a terrorist attack, a court has heard.
“The video was deeply disturbing.”
Victims in the incident wept as video from the car’s camera showed bodies spinning through the air as he accelerated into crowds and shouted: “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 against 29 victims, including eight minors.
‘A Man in a Rage’
The prosecution stated the court that the footage from Doyle’s large people carrier proved to be “truly shocking”. It showed the parent shouting “expletives” as well as “move out of the way” as he drove towards hundreds of fans, some pulling children out of the way as his car horn blared.
It was stated in court that Doyle acted as a “man in a rage whose anger had completely taken hold of him” as he ploughed further into the crowd, accelerating as people collided with his car.
Scale of the Carnage
Overall, the ex-marine hurt 134 individuals within a mere seven-minute span – with over fifty who needed hospital treatment. An infant was “remarkably” unharmed despite being left splayed on the road when Doyle’s car hit his pram, according to testimony.
A supporter, Simon Nash, was seen being launched into the air by the car, suffering a laceration to the back of his head, rib fractures and multiple abrasions.
The defendant could be heard shouting “fuck’s sake move! Get out of my path!” before ploughing further into screaming supporters, among them an older woman and young 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 “an event they believed to be a joyous occasion” to celebrate Liverpool winning their 20th league title. Scenes of jubilation turned to “horror”, the prosecutor said, when the driver entered the crowd as he attempted to pick up a friend who had been at the parade.
“Some at the scene believed the events unfolding constituted a terrorist incident.”
Rampage Halted by Heroic Act
With injured people on the street, the vehicle’s path was brought to a halt by a former soldier, a man identified in court, who climbed into a rear passenger seat and held the car’s gear selector in “park”. Despite this, Doyle kept his foot on the accelerator, the court heard.
During questioning, Doyle stated he acted in a “state of sheer panic” due to a fear for his safety. However, prosecutors contended that the video showed the defendant “simply lost control in his desire to get to where he wanted to get to”. The prosecutor added: “In a rage, he targeted the crowd and as he did so his intent was to cause serious injury.”
Dangerous Driving Prior to Incident
The video indicated Doyle was driving recklessly before he reached the city centre, overtaking cars dangerously and jumping red lights. He ignored traffic diversion measures and bypassed other vehicles, even emergency service vehicles, as he entered the crowds.
The defendant is expected to receive a jail term of more than 10 years when he is sentenced on Tuesday.