An ex- Royal Marines Commando was a “man in a rage” when he drove into scores of Liverpool football club fans at a victory parade, an incident many initially feared to be a act of terrorism, a court has heard.
“The video was profoundly upsetting.”
Victims in the incident cried while dashcam footage showed people being thrown into the air as he accelerated into crowds 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 criminal charges against 21 adults and eight children.
‘Consumed by Anger’
Prosecutors warned the court that the footage from the defendant’s two-tonne Ford Galaxy proved to be “extremely graphic”. It showed the father of three yelling “fucking pricks” as well as “fucking move” while he headed straight for hundreds of fans, some pulling children out of the way as his car horn blared.
The court was told that Doyle was a “man in a rage whose anger had completely taken hold of him” as he continued driving into the mass of people, speeding up as people collided with his car.
Scale of the Carnage
Overall, the former Royal Marine hurt 134 individuals in just seven minutes – with over fifty who needed hospital treatment. A six-month-old boy was “miraculously” uninjured despite being left splayed on the road after the vehicle struck his stroller, according to testimony.
A supporter, Simon Nash, was seen being launched into the air by the car, sustaining a laceration on his head, rib fractures and numerous scrapes.
The defendant was heard screaming “for God’s sake move! Get out of my path!” prior to driving deeper into panicked fans, among them an older woman and young children who became trapped beneath the vehicle.
Scene of Jubilation Turns to Horror
Speaking to a full court, the prosecution said approximately a million individuals had attended “an event they believed to be a day of joyfulness” marking Liverpool winning their 20th league title. The celebratory atmosphere swiftly became “terror”, the prosecutor said, as Doyle drove into oncoming fans as he attempted to pick up a friend who had been at the parade.
“Witnesses believed what was taking place was a terrorist attack.”
Brave Intervention Stops Driver
With injured people on the street, the vehicle’s path was stopped by an ex-army member, 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, the defendant stated he reacted in a “blind panic” due to a fear for his safety. However, the prosecution argued that the video showed the defendant “simply lost control in his desire to get to where he wanted to get to”. It was further stated: “In a rage, he targeted the crowd and in doing so his intent was to cause serious injury.”
Reckless Behavior Before the Attack
The video showed the driver had been driving dangerously prior to entering downtown, overtaking cars dangerously and jumping red lights. He ignored road closures and bypassed other cars, including an ambulance and police cars, as he approached the packed streets.
The defendant is understood to be facing a prison sentence of over a decade when he is sentenced on Tuesday.
