Man That Drove Into Liverpool FC Parade Was ‘Consumed by Rage’, Trial Hears.
An ex- Royal Marine acted as a “person consumed by fury” as he mowed down dozens of Liverpool football club fans at a championship celebration, an incident many initially feared to be a terrorist attack, a court has heard.
“The footage is truly shocking.”
Victims in the incident wept as dashcam footage showed bodies spinning through the air while he sped towards the gathering and shouted: “Fucking hell, move!”
Doyle, 54, will learn his fate on Tuesday following his guilty plea at the start of his trial last month to 31 offences involving 21 adults and eight children.
‘Consumed by Anger’
Prosecutors stated those in court that the video evidence from Doyle’s large people carrier proved to be “extremely graphic”. It showed the parent yelling “expletives” as well as “move out of the way” while he headed straight for 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 whose anger had completely taken hold of him” as he continued driving into the mass of people, accelerating as people collided with his car.
Extent of the Injuries
Overall, the former Royal Marine hurt 134 people in just seven minutes – including more than 50 requiring hospital care. An infant was “remarkably” unharmed even though he was left on the roadway after the vehicle struck his stroller, according to testimony.
One fan, Simon Nash, was shown being thrown into the air by the vehicle, suffering a cut to the back of his head, rib fractures and multiple abrasions.
Doyle was heard screaming “for God’s sake move! Get out of my path!” prior to driving deeper into screaming supporters, among them an older woman and young children who were dragged under the car.
Celebration Descends into Chaos
Addressing a packed courtroom, the prosecution said approximately a million individuals had attended “an event they believed to be a day of joyfulness” to celebrate Liverpool winning their 20th league title. The celebratory atmosphere turned to “terror”, the prosecutor said, as Doyle drove into oncoming fans as he attempted to pick up a friend who had been at the parade.
“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 stopped by an ex-army member, a man identified in court, who entered the back of the car and held the car’s gear selector in “park”. Even then, Doyle kept his foot on the accelerator, the court heard.
In his police interview, Doyle stated he reacted in a “state of sheer panic” due to a fear for his safety. Yet, the prosecution argued that the dashcam footage demonstrated Doyle “simply lost control in his desire to get to where he wanted to get to”. It was further stated: “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
The video indicated the driver was driving recklessly prior to entering downtown, overtaking cars dangerously and jumping red lights. He ignored road closures and weaved around other vehicles, including an ambulance and police cars, as he approached the packed streets.
The defendant is understood to be facing a jail term of more than 10 years at his sentencing hearing.
