Driver That Drove Through Liverpool FC Parade Described as ‘In a Rage’, Court Hears.
An ex- Royal Marine acted as a “person consumed by fury” as he drove into dozens of Liverpool football club fans during a championship celebration, in what many feared was a act of terrorism, according to court proceedings.
“The footage is deeply disturbing.”
Victims in the incident cried while dashcam footage showed people being thrown into the air while he sped towards the gathering and shouted: “Fucking hell, move!”
Doyle, 54, is due to be sentenced on Tuesday following his guilty plea on the first day of his trial last month to 31 criminal charges against 21 adults and eight children.
‘A Man in a Rage’
The prosecution warned the court that the video evidence from the defendant’s large people carrier was “truly shocking”. The recording revealed the parent yelling “expletives” as well as “fucking move” while he headed straight for hundreds of fans, with people frantically dragging children to safety 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 ploughed further into the crowd, 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 – with over fifty requiring hospital care. An infant was “remarkably” uninjured despite being left splayed on the road after the vehicle struck his stroller, according to testimony.
One fan, a man named in court, was seen being launched into the air by the car, sustaining 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!” prior to driving deeper into panicked fans, including an elderly woman and children who became trapped beneath the vehicle.
Celebration Descends into Chaos
Speaking to a full court, lawyers said about 1 million people were present at “what they thought would be a day of joyfulness” marking the football club’s championship win. Scenes of jubilation turned to “terror”, it was said, when the driver entered the crowd as he attempted to pick up a friend from the parade route.
“Some at the scene believed the events unfolding was a terrorist attack.”
Brave Intervention Stops Driver
As bodies lay on the ground, Doyle’s rampage was brought to a halt by an ex-army member, Dan Barr, who entered the back of the car and forced the gearstick into park. Despite this, Doyle continued pressing the gas pedal, the court heard.
During questioning, Doyle claimed he acted in a “blind panic” due to a fear for his safety. Yet, prosecutors contended that the dashcam footage showed the defendant “just lost his temper in his determination to reach his destination”. The prosecutor added: “Consumed by anger, he drove into the crowd and as he did 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 running red lights. He ignored road closures and weaved around other cars, even emergency service vehicles, as he entered the crowds.
The defendant is expected to receive a jail term of over a decade when he is sentenced on Tuesday.
