Driver Who Drove Into Liverpool FC Parade Described as ‘Consumed by Rage’, Court Hears.
A former Royal Marines Commando was a “man in a rage” as he drove into scores of Liverpool football club fans during a victory parade, in what many feared was a terrorist attack, a court has heard.
“The footage is profoundly upsetting.”
Those injured in the incident cried while video from the car’s camera showed bodies spinning through the air while he sped towards the gathering and shouted: “Get out of the way!”
Doyle, 54, is due to be sentenced on Tuesday after pleading guilty at the start of his trial last month to 31 criminal charges against 21 adults and eight children.
‘A Man in a Rage’
The prosecution stated those in court that the footage from Doyle’s large people carrier proved to be “truly shocking”. It showed the parent shouting “expletives” and “fucking move” while he headed straight for a large crowd of supporters, with people frantically dragging children to safety as he blasted the horn.
The court was told that Doyle was a “individual whose anger had completely overpowered him” as he continued driving into the mass of people, speeding up as people collided with his car.
Scale of the Carnage
Overall, the ex-marine hurt 134 individuals within a mere seven-minute span – including more than 50 who needed hospital treatment. An infant was “remarkably” uninjured despite being left splayed on the road after the vehicle struck his stroller, the court heard.
One fan, a man named in court, was shown being thrown into the air by the car, sustaining a cut to the back of his head, broken ribs and numerous scrapes.
The defendant could be heard shouting “fuck’s sake move! Get out my fucking way!” 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 about 1 million people had attended “what they thought would be a day of joyfulness” marking Liverpool winning their 20th league title. Scenes of jubilation turned to “horror”, the prosecutor said, as Doyle drove into oncoming fans while trying to collect a companion who had been at the parade.
“Some at the scene believed what was taking place constituted a terrorist incident.”
Brave Intervention Stops Driver
As bodies lay on the ground, the vehicle’s path was brought to a halt by a former soldier, Dan Barr, who entered the back of the car and held the car’s gear selector in “park”. Despite this, Doyle kept his foot on the accelerator, according to evidence.
In his police interview, Doyle claimed he reacted in a “blind panic” due to a fear for his safety. However, the prosecution argued that the video demonstrated the defendant “just lost his temper in his desire to get to where he wanted to get to”. It was further stated: “In a rage, he targeted the crowd and in doing 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 running red lights. He disregarded traffic diversion measures and weaved around other vehicles, even emergency service vehicles, 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.