Man Who Drove Into LFC Victory Parade Was ‘Consumed by Rage’, Court Told.
A former Royal Marines Commando was a “man in a rage” when he mowed down scores of LFC fans during a championship celebration, an incident many initially feared to be a act of terrorism, according to court proceedings.
“The video is truly shocking.”
Those injured in the incident wept while dashcam footage depicted people being thrown into the air as he accelerated into crowds and shouted: “Get out of the way!”
Doyle, 54, will learn his fate on Tuesday following his guilty plea at the start of his trial last month to 31 offences involving 29 victims, including eight minors.
‘Consumed by Anger’
Prosecutors warned the court that the footage from Doyle’s large people carrier proved to be “extremely graphic”. It showed the father of three shouting “fucking pricks” and “move out of the way” as he drove towards a large crowd of supporters, some pulling children out of the way as he blasted the horn.
The court was told that Doyle was a “individual whose anger whose anger had completely taken hold of him” as he ploughed further into the crowd, accelerating as people collided with his car.
Scale of the Carnage
In total, the ex-marine injured 134 individuals within a mere seven-minute span – with over fifty requiring hospital care. An infant was “remarkably” unharmed despite being left splayed on the road after the vehicle struck his stroller, the court heard.
One fan, Simon Nash, was shown being thrown into the air by the vehicle, sustaining a cut on his head, rib fractures and multiple abrasions.
The defendant 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, the prosecution said about 1 million people had attended “an event they believed to be a day of joyfulness” to celebrate the football club’s championship win. Scenes of jubilation swiftly became “horror”, the prosecutor said, when the driver entered the crowd while trying to collect a companion from the parade route.
“Some at the scene believed what was taking place was a terrorist attack.”
Brave Intervention Stops Driver
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”. Even then, Doyle continued pressing the gas pedal, according to evidence.
In his police interview, Doyle claimed he reacted in a “blind panic” due to a fear for his safety. Yet, prosecutors contended that the video showed Doyle “just lost his temper in his determination to reach his destination”. The prosecutor added: “In a rage, he targeted the crowd and in doing so his intent was to cause serious injury.”
Dangerous Driving Prior to Incident
Footage showed the driver was driving recklessly before he reached the city centre, overtaking cars dangerously and running red lights. He ignored road closures and weaved around other cars, including an ambulance and police cars, as he approached the packed streets.
Doyle is expected to receive a prison sentence of more than 10 years when he is sentenced on Tuesday.
