Man Who Ploughed Through LFC Parade Described as ‘In a Rage’, Court Hears.
An ex- Royal Marine was a “man in a rage” when he mowed down dozens of LFC supporters during a championship celebration, an incident many initially feared to be a terrorist attack, a court has heard.
“The video is truly shocking.”
Victims in the incident cried while video from the car’s camera showed people being thrown into the air while he sped towards the gathering and shouted: “Get out of the way!”
The 54-year-old defendant will learn his fate on Tuesday following his guilty plea at the start of his trial last month to 31 offences against 21 adults and eight children.
‘A Man in a Rage’
Prosecutors warned the court that the video evidence from Doyle’s large people carrier was “truly shocking”. It showed the parent yelling “expletives” and “move out of the way” while he headed straight for hundreds of fans, with people frantically dragging children to safety as his car horn blared.
The court was told that Doyle was a “man in a rage had completely overpowered him” as he continued driving into the mass of people, speeding up while individuals were struck by his vehicle.
Extent of the Injuries
In total, the ex-marine hurt 134 people within a mere seven-minute span – with over fifty requiring hospital care. A six-month-old boy was “remarkably” uninjured even though he was left on the roadway after the vehicle struck his stroller, the court heard.
A supporter, Simon Nash, was shown being thrown into the air by the vehicle, suffering a laceration on his head, broken ribs and multiple abrasions.
The defendant could be heard shouting “for God’s sake move! Get out of my path!” before ploughing further into screaming supporters, including an elderly woman and children who were dragged under the car.
Celebration Descends into Chaos
Speaking to a full court, lawyers said approximately a million individuals had attended “an event they believed to be a joyous occasion” marking the football club’s championship win. Scenes of jubilation swiftly became “terror”, the prosecutor said, as Doyle drove into oncoming fans while trying to collect a companion who had been at the parade.
“Some at the scene believed the events unfolding was a terrorist attack.”
Brave Intervention Stops Driver
With injured people on the street, the vehicle’s path was brought to a halt by a former soldier, Dan Barr, who climbed into a rear passenger seat and forced the gearstick into park. Despite this, Doyle kept his foot on the accelerator, the court heard.
During questioning, Doyle stated he reacted in a “state of sheer panic” due to a fear for his safety. However, prosecutors contended that the dashcam footage 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 drove into the crowd and as he did so his intent was to cause serious injury.”
Reckless Behavior Before the Attack
Footage indicated Doyle had been driving dangerously before he reached the city centre, overtaking cars dangerously and running red lights. He ignored traffic diversion measures and weaved around other cars, including an ambulance and police cars, as he approached the packed streets.
Doyle is understood to be facing a jail term of over a decade when he is sentenced on Tuesday.
