🔗 Share this article

An ex- Royal Marine was a “person consumed by fury” as he mowed down scores of Liverpool football club supporters at a victory parade, an incident many initially feared to be a terrorist attack, according to court proceedings.

“The video was deeply disturbing.”

Those injured in the incident wept as video from the car’s camera showed bodies spinning through the air as he accelerated into crowds while screaming: “Get out of the way!”

The 54-year-old defendant is due to be sentenced on Tuesday after pleading guilty at the start of his trial last month to 31 criminal charges against 21 adults and eight children.

‘A Man in a Rage’

Prosecutors warned those in court that the video evidence from the defendant’s two-tonne Ford Galaxy was “extremely graphic”. The recording revealed the parent yelling “fucking pricks” and “fucking move” while he headed straight for a large crowd of supporters, with people frantically dragging children to safety as he blasted the horn.

It was stated in court that Doyle acted as a “man in a rage whose anger had completely taken hold of him” as he continued driving into the mass of people, speeding up while individuals were struck by his vehicle.

Scale of the Carnage

In total, the former Royal Marine injured 134 people within a mere seven-minute span – including more than 50 who needed hospital treatment. A six-month-old boy was “remarkably” uninjured despite being left splayed on the road after the vehicle struck his stroller, the court heard.

One fan, Simon Nash, was seen being launched into the air by the car, sustaining a laceration to the back of his head, broken ribs and numerous scrapes.

Doyle could be heard shouting “for God’s sake move! Get out my fucking way!” prior to driving deeper into screaming supporters, including an elderly woman and children who became trapped beneath the vehicle.

Scene of Jubilation Turns to Horror

Addressing a packed courtroom, the prosecution said about 1 million people had attended “what they thought would be a day of joyfulness” marking Liverpool winning their 20th league title. The celebratory atmosphere swiftly became “horror”, the prosecutor said, as Doyle drove into oncoming fans as he attempted to pick up a friend from the parade route.

“Witnesses believed the events unfolding was a terrorist attack.”

Brave Intervention Stops Driver

As bodies lay on the ground, the vehicle’s path was stopped 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 continued pressing the gas pedal, according to evidence.

During questioning, the defendant claimed he acted in a “state of sheer panic” because he feared for his life. Yet, prosecutors contended that the dashcam footage demonstrated Doyle “just lost his temper in his desire to get to where he wanted to get to”. It was further stated: “Consumed by anger, he drove into the crowd and as he did so his intent was to cause serious injury.”

Dangerous Driving Prior to Incident

Footage showed Doyle was driving recklessly before he reached the city centre, undertaking cars at speed and running red lights. He ignored road closures and bypassed other cars, even emergency service vehicles, as he approached the packed streets.

The defendant is understood to be facing a jail term of over a decade at his sentencing hearing.