Man Who Ploughed Into Liverpool FC Parade Was ‘Consumed by Rage’, Trial Told.

An ex- Royal Marine acted as a “man in a rage” when he mowed down scores of LFC supporters during a victory parade, in what many feared was a terrorist attack, a court has heard.

“The footage was truly shocking.”

Those injured in the incident wept as dashcam footage showed people being thrown into the air while he sped towards the gathering while screaming: “Fucking hell, move!”

Doyle, 54, is due to be sentenced on Tuesday following his guilty plea at the start of his trial last month to 31 criminal charges involving 21 adults and eight children.

‘Consumed by Anger’

The prosecution stated those in court that the video evidence from Doyle’s large people carrier proved to be “extremely graphic”. It showed the parent shouting “expletives” as well as “move out of the way” while he headed straight for hundreds of fans, some pulling children out of the way as his car horn blared.

It was stated in court that Doyle acted as a “man in a rage had completely overpowered him” as he continued driving into the mass of people, accelerating as people collided with his car.

Extent of the Injuries

In total, the former Royal Marine hurt 134 people in just seven minutes – including more than 50 requiring hospital care. A six-month-old boy was “remarkably” uninjured despite being left splayed on the road when Doyle’s car hit his pram, according to testimony.

One fan, Simon Nash, was shown being thrown into the air by the car, sustaining a cut on his head, rib fractures and multiple abrasions.

Doyle was heard screaming “for God’s sake move! Get out my fucking way!” 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

Speaking to a full court, lawyers said approximately a million individuals were present at “what they thought would be a joyous occasion” marking the football club’s championship win. Scenes of jubilation swiftly became “horror”, the prosecutor said, when the driver entered the crowd as he attempted to pick up a friend who had been at the parade.

“Witnesses thought that the events unfolding was a terrorist attack.”

Brave Intervention Stops Driver

With injured people on the street, Doyle’s rampage was brought to a halt by a former soldier, Dan Barr, 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.

During questioning, Doyle claimed he acted in a “blind panic” due to a fear for his safety. Yet, the prosecution argued that the dashcam footage demonstrated the defendant “just lost his temper in his desire to get to where he wanted to get to”. The prosecutor added: “Consumed by anger, he targeted the crowd and in doing so he intended to cause them serious harm.”

Dangerous Driving Prior to Incident

The video indicated Doyle was driving recklessly before he reached the city centre, undertaking cars at speed and running red lights. He ignored road closures and bypassed other vehicles, including an ambulance and police cars, as he entered the crowds.

The defendant is expected to receive a jail term of more than 10 years at his sentencing hearing.

Amy Goodman
Amy Goodman

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