Driver That Ploughed Into LFC Parade Described as ‘In a Rage’, Trial Hears.
A former Royal Marines Commando was a “person consumed by fury” when he mowed down dozens of LFC supporters at a championship celebration, an incident many initially feared to be a act of terrorism, a court has heard.
“The video was profoundly upsetting.”
Those injured in the incident cried while dashcam footage showed bodies spinning through the air while he sped towards the gathering and shouted: “Fucking hell, move!”
The 54-year-old defendant will learn his fate on Tuesday after pleading guilty at the start of his trial last month to 31 offences involving 21 adults and eight children.
‘Consumed by Anger’
Prosecutors warned those in court that the video evidence from Doyle’s large people carrier proved to be “truly shocking”. The recording revealed the father of three shouting “expletives” and “move out of the way” as he drove towards hundreds of fans, with people frantically dragging children to safety as his car horn blared.
It was stated in court that Doyle was a “individual whose anger whose anger had completely taken hold of him” as he continued driving into the mass of people, accelerating while individuals were struck by his vehicle.
Extent of the Injuries
In total, the former Royal Marine injured 134 people in just seven minutes – with over fifty requiring hospital care. A six-month-old boy was “miraculously” uninjured even though he was left on the roadway after the vehicle struck his stroller, the court heard.
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 numerous scrapes.
The defendant could be heard shouting “for God’s sake move! Get out my fucking way!” prior to driving deeper into panicked fans, 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 about 1 million people were present at “an event they believed to be a day of joyfulness” marking Liverpool winning their 20th league title. The celebratory atmosphere turned to “terror”, the prosecutor said, as Doyle drove into oncoming fans while trying to collect a companion who had been at the parade.
“Witnesses believed what was taking place was a terrorist attack.”
Rampage Halted by Heroic Act
As bodies lay on the ground, the vehicle’s path was stopped by an ex-army member, 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, according to evidence.
In his police interview, Doyle stated he acted in a “blind panic” due to a fear for his safety. Yet, prosecutors contended that the dashcam footage demonstrated Doyle “just lost his temper in his determination to reach his destination”. The prosecutor added: “In a rage, he drove into the crowd and in doing so he intended to cause them serious harm.”
Dangerous Driving Prior to Incident
Footage indicated Doyle had been driving dangerously before he reached the city centre, undertaking cars at speed and running red lights. He ignored road closures and weaved around other vehicles, including an ambulance and police cars, as he entered the crowds.
Doyle is expected to receive a jail term of more than 10 years at his sentencing hearing.
