Man That Drove Into LFC Parade Was ‘Consumed by Rage’, Trial Hears.
An ex- Royal Marines Commando acted as a “person consumed by fury” as he drove into scores of LFC supporters during a championship celebration, an incident many initially feared to be a act of terrorism, a court has heard.
“The video is deeply disturbing.”
Those injured in the incident wept as dashcam footage showed bodies spinning through the air while he sped towards the gathering while screaming: “Fucking hell, move!”
Doyle, 54, is due to be sentenced on Tuesday after pleading guilty at the start of his trial last month to 31 offences against 29 victims, including eight minors.
‘Consumed by Anger’
The prosecution warned the court that the footage from Doyle’s two-tonne Ford Galaxy was “truly shocking”. The recording revealed the parent yelling “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.
The court was told that Doyle acted as a “individual whose anger had completely overpowered him” as he continued driving into the mass of people, speeding up as people collided with his car.
Extent of the Injuries
Overall, the ex-marine injured 134 people in just seven minutes – including more than 50 who needed hospital treatment. An infant was “miraculously” unharmed even though he was left on the roadway when Doyle’s car hit his pram, according to testimony.
One fan, a man named in court, was shown being thrown into the air by the vehicle, sustaining a laceration on his head, broken ribs and multiple abrasions.
The defendant was heard screaming “fuck’s sake move! Get out of my path!” before ploughing further into panicked fans, among them an older woman and young children who became trapped beneath the vehicle.
Celebration Descends into Chaos
Speaking to a full court, the prosecution said about 1 million people were present at “what they thought would be a day of joyfulness” marking the football club’s championship win. The celebratory atmosphere swiftly became “terror”, the prosecutor said, when the driver entered the crowd as he attempted to pick up a friend from the parade route.
“Some at the scene thought that what was taking place was a terrorist attack.”
Rampage Halted by Heroic Act
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 forced the gearstick into park. Despite this, Doyle kept his foot on the accelerator, according to evidence.
In his police interview, Doyle stated he reacted in a “blind panic” due to a fear for his safety. Yet, the prosecution argued that the dashcam footage showed the defendant “simply lost control in his desire to get to where he wanted to get to”. The prosecutor added: “Consumed by anger, he drove into the crowd and as he did so he intended to cause them serious harm.”
Reckless Behavior Before the Attack
The video indicated Doyle was driving recklessly before he reached the city centre, overtaking cars dangerously and running red lights. He disregarded road closures and weaved around other vehicles, including an ambulance and police cars, as he entered the crowds.
Doyle is understood to be facing a prison sentence of more than 10 years when he is sentenced on Tuesday.
