Man Who Ploughed Into LFC Parade Described as ‘Consumed by Rage’, Trial Hears.
An ex- Royal Marine acted as a “man in a rage” as he mowed down scores of LFC supporters at a championship celebration, an incident many initially feared to be a terrorist attack, according to court proceedings.
“The footage was truly shocking.”
Those injured in the incident cried while dashcam footage depicted bodies spinning through the air while he sped towards the gathering while screaming: “Fucking hell, move!”
The 54-year-old defendant will learn his fate 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 those in court that the footage from the defendant’s two-tonne Ford Galaxy proved to be “truly shocking”. The recording revealed the parent yelling “expletives” as well as “fucking move” while he headed straight for hundreds of fans, some pulling children out of the way as he blasted the horn.
The court was told that Doyle was a “man in a rage whose anger had completely taken hold of him” as he ploughed further into the crowd, speeding up while individuals were struck by his vehicle.
Extent of the Injuries
Overall, the former Royal Marine injured 134 individuals in just seven minutes – including more than 50 who needed hospital treatment. An infant was “miraculously” uninjured even though he was left on the roadway when Doyle’s car hit his pram, the court heard.
One fan, Simon Nash, was shown being thrown into the air by the vehicle, sustaining a laceration to the back of his head, rib fractures and numerous scrapes.
The defendant could be heard shouting “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, lawyers said about 1 million people were present at “what they thought would be a day of joyfulness” marking the football club’s championship win. Scenes of jubilation swiftly became “horror”, it was said, when the driver entered the crowd while trying to collect a companion from the parade route.
“Witnesses thought that the events unfolding was a terrorist attack.”
Brave Intervention Stops Driver
As bodies lay on the ground, the vehicle’s path was brought to a halt by a former soldier, a man identified in court, who entered the back of the car and held the car’s gear selector in “park”. Even then, Doyle kept his foot on the accelerator, the court heard.
In his police interview, the defendant claimed he acted in a “blind panic” due to a fear for his safety. However, prosecutors contended that the video demonstrated Doyle “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 in doing so he intended to cause them serious harm.”
Dangerous Driving Prior to Incident
Footage indicated the driver had been driving dangerously prior to entering downtown, undertaking cars at speed and jumping red lights. He disregarded traffic diversion measures and bypassed other vehicles, even emergency service vehicles, as he entered the crowds.
Doyle is expected to receive a jail term of over a decade at his sentencing hearing.
