Man Who Ploughed Into LFC Parade Was ‘In a Rage’, Court Told.
An ex- Royal Marine acted as a “man in a rage” as he mowed down scores of LFC fans at a victory parade, an incident many initially feared to be a act of terrorism, according to court proceedings.
“The video was truly shocking.”
Victims in the incident wept as video from the car’s camera showed bodies spinning through the air while he sped towards the gathering while screaming: “Get out of the way!”
The 54-year-old defendant will learn his fate on Tuesday after pleading guilty at the start of his trial last month to 31 offences against 21 adults and eight children.
‘Consumed by Anger’
Prosecutors stated those in court that the footage from the defendant’s large people carrier was “extremely graphic”. The recording revealed the parent yelling “expletives” as well as “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 “man in a rage had completely overpowered him” as he ploughed further into the crowd, accelerating while individuals were struck by his vehicle.
Extent of the Injuries
Overall, the ex-marine hurt 134 individuals in just seven minutes – including more than 50 requiring hospital care. An infant was “remarkably” uninjured despite being left splayed on the road after the vehicle struck his stroller, the court heard.
One fan, a man named in court, was seen being launched into the air by the car, sustaining a cut to the back of his head, rib fractures and multiple abrasions.
The defendant could be heard shouting “fuck’s sake move! Get out of my path!” 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
Addressing a packed courtroom, lawyers said about 1 million people had attended “what they thought would be a day of joyfulness” marking the football club’s championship win. The celebratory atmosphere turned to “horror”, it was said, as Doyle drove into oncoming fans as he attempted to pick up a friend 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, 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 continued pressing the gas pedal, the court heard.
In his police interview, the defendant claimed he reacted in a “blind panic” due to a fear for his safety. Yet, prosecutors contended 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 as he did so he intended to cause them serious harm.”
Dangerous Driving Prior to Incident
The video indicated Doyle had been driving dangerously before he reached the city centre, undertaking cars at speed and jumping red lights. He ignored traffic diversion measures and weaved around other vehicles, even emergency service vehicles, as he approached the packed streets.
The defendant is understood to be facing a prison sentence of over a decade at his sentencing hearing.
