Man Who Drove Through LFC Parade Was ‘In a Rage’, Trial Hears.
An ex- Royal Marines Commando acted as a “man in a rage” as he drove into scores of LFC fans during a victory parade, an incident many initially feared to be a act of terrorism, according to court proceedings.
“The video was profoundly upsetting.”
Victims in the incident wept as dashcam footage showed bodies spinning through the air while he sped towards the gathering and shouted: “Fucking hell, move!”
The 54-year-old defendant is due to be sentenced on Tuesday following his guilty plea at the start of his trial last month to 31 criminal charges against 21 adults and eight children.
‘A Man in a Rage’
The prosecution warned the court that the footage from the defendant’s large people carrier was “extremely graphic”. It showed the parent shouting “fucking pricks” as well as “move out of the way” while he headed straight for a large crowd of supporters, some pulling children out of the way as his car horn blared.
It was stated in court 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.
Scale of the Carnage
Overall, the former Royal Marine hurt 134 individuals within a mere seven-minute span – with over fifty who needed hospital treatment. A six-month-old boy was “miraculously” uninjured even though he was left on the roadway when Doyle’s car hit his pram, the court heard.
One fan, a man named in court, was seen being launched into the air by the vehicle, sustaining a laceration on his head, rib fractures and multiple abrasions.
Doyle was heard screaming “for God’s sake move! Get out of my path!” prior to driving deeper into panicked fans, among them an older woman and young children who were dragged under the car.
Celebration Descends into Chaos
Speaking to a full court, the prosecution said approximately a million individuals had attended “what they thought would be a joyous occasion” to celebrate the football club’s championship win. Scenes of jubilation swiftly became “terror”, it was said, as Doyle drove into oncoming fans while trying to collect a companion from the parade route.
“Witnesses believed what was taking place was a terrorist attack.”
Brave Intervention Stops Driver
With injured people on the street, the vehicle’s path was stopped by a former soldier, Dan Barr, who entered the back of the car and held the car’s gear selector in “park”. Despite this, Doyle kept his foot on the accelerator, according to evidence.
In his police interview, the defendant claimed he acted in a “state of sheer 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 his intent was to cause serious injury.”
Reckless Behavior Before the Attack
Footage indicated Doyle was driving recklessly prior to entering downtown, overtaking cars dangerously and jumping red lights. He ignored road closures and weaved around other vehicles, including an ambulance and police cars, as he approached the packed streets.
Doyle is understood to be facing a prison sentence of more than 10 years at his sentencing hearing.
