🔗 Share this article

An ex- Royal Marine acted as a “person consumed by fury” when he drove into dozens of LFC supporters during a victory parade, an incident many initially feared to be a terrorist attack, a court has heard.

“The video is truly shocking.”

Those injured in the incident cried while dashcam footage showed people being thrown into the air while he sped towards the gathering and shouted: “Get out of the way!”

Doyle, 54, is due to be sentenced on Tuesday after pleading guilty at the start of his trial last month to 31 criminal charges against 29 victims, including eight minors.

‘A Man in a Rage’

Prosecutors stated the court that the video evidence from the defendant’s large people carrier proved to be “truly shocking”. It showed the parent shouting “expletives” as well as “move out of the way” while he headed straight for hundreds of fans, with people frantically dragging children to safety as he blasted the horn.

It was stated in court that Doyle was a “man in a rage whose anger had completely taken hold of him” as he continued driving into the mass of people, speeding up as people collided with his car.

Scale of the Carnage

Overall, the ex-marine hurt 134 individuals within a mere seven-minute span – including more than 50 requiring hospital care. An infant was “remarkably” unharmed even though he was left on the roadway after the vehicle struck his stroller, the court heard.

One fan, Simon Nash, was shown being thrown into the air by the car, suffering a laceration to the back of his head, broken ribs and multiple abrasions.

Doyle was heard screaming “fuck’s sake move! Get out my fucking way!” before ploughing further 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, the prosecution said approximately a million individuals were present at “what they thought would be a day of joyfulness” to celebrate the football club’s championship win. The celebratory atmosphere swiftly became “terror”, the prosecutor said, when the driver entered the crowd while trying to collect a companion who had been at the parade.

“Some at the scene thought that the events unfolding constituted a terrorist incident.”

Rampage Halted by Heroic Act

With injured people on the street, the vehicle’s path was stopped by an ex-army member, a man identified in court, who climbed into a rear passenger seat and forced the gearstick into park. Even then, 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 demonstrated the defendant “just lost his temper in his determination to reach his destination”. The prosecutor added: “In a rage, he targeted the crowd and as he did so he intended to cause them serious harm.”

Reckless Behavior Before the Attack

Footage showed Doyle was driving recklessly prior to entering downtown, undertaking cars at speed and running red lights. He disregarded traffic diversion measures and weaved around other cars, including an ambulance and police cars, as he entered the crowds.

Doyle is expected to receive a prison sentence of more than 10 years when he is sentenced on Tuesday.