Man That Drove Through Liverpool FC Victory Parade Was ‘In a Rage’, Trial Hears.
A former Royal Marine acted as a “man in a rage” as he drove into dozens of Liverpool football club fans during a victory parade, an incident many initially feared to be a terrorist attack, a court has heard.
“The video is deeply disturbing.”
Victims in the incident wept while video from the car’s camera showed bodies spinning through the air while he sped towards the gathering while screaming: “Fucking hell, move!”
The 54-year-old defendant is due to be sentenced on Tuesday after pleading guilty at the start of his trial last month to 31 offences against 29 victims, including eight minors.
‘A Man in a Rage’
The prosecution warned those in court that the video evidence from the defendant’s large people carrier proved to be “extremely graphic”. The recording revealed the parent yelling “expletives” as well as “fucking move” as he drove towards a large crowd of supporters, some pulling children out of the way as his car horn blared.
The court was told that Doyle acted as a “man in a rage had completely overpowered him” as he continued driving into the mass of people, accelerating while individuals were struck by his vehicle.
Scale of the Carnage
In total, the ex-marine injured 134 people within a mere seven-minute span – with over fifty who needed hospital treatment. A six-month-old boy was “miraculously” unharmed even though he was left on the roadway when Doyle’s car hit his pram, according to testimony.
A supporter, a man named in court, was shown being thrown into the air by the vehicle, sustaining a cut on his head, broken ribs and multiple abrasions.
Doyle was heard screaming “fuck’s sake move! Get out my fucking way!” prior to driving deeper 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, lawyers said approximately a million individuals 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, as Doyle drove into oncoming fans while trying to collect a companion who had been at the parade.
“Witnesses thought that the events unfolding constituted a terrorist incident.”
Rampage Halted by Heroic Act
With injured people on the street, Doyle’s rampage 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”. Even then, Doyle continued pressing the gas pedal, the court heard.
In his police interview, Doyle claimed he reacted in a “state of sheer panic” because he feared for his life. Yet, the prosecution argued that the video demonstrated the defendant “just lost his temper in his determination to reach his destination”. The prosecutor added: “In a rage, he drove into the crowd and as he did so he intended to cause them serious harm.”
Reckless Behavior Before the Attack
The video showed Doyle had been driving dangerously prior to entering downtown, undertaking cars at speed and jumping red lights. He disregarded traffic diversion measures and weaved around other cars, even emergency service vehicles, as he entered the crowds.
Doyle is expected to receive a jail term of over a decade when he is sentenced on Tuesday.
