🔗 Share this article

An ex- Royal Marine acted as a “man in a rage” when he mowed down scores of Liverpool football club fans at a championship celebration, an incident many initially feared to be a act of terrorism, a court has heard.

“The footage is profoundly upsetting.”

Victims in the incident wept while dashcam footage showed people being thrown into the air as he accelerated into crowds while screaming: “Get out of the way!”

The 54-year-old defendant will learn his fate on Tuesday following his guilty plea at the start of his trial last month to 31 offences against 29 victims, including eight minors.

‘A Man in a Rage’

The prosecution warned those in court that the footage from Doyle’s two-tonne Ford Galaxy proved to be “extremely graphic”. It showed the parent shouting “expletives” and “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.

The court was told that Doyle was a “individual whose anger had completely overpowered him” as he continued driving into the mass of people, speeding up while individuals were struck by his vehicle.

Scale of the Carnage

Overall, the ex-marine hurt 134 individuals within a mere seven-minute span – including more than 50 who needed hospital treatment. An infant was “remarkably” unharmed even though he was left on the roadway when Doyle’s car hit his pram, according to testimony.

A supporter, a man named in court, was shown being thrown into the air by the vehicle, sustaining a laceration on his head, rib fractures and numerous scrapes.

Doyle was heard screaming “for God’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, the prosecution said about 1 million people were present at “an event they believed to be a day of joyfulness” marking the football club’s championship win. The celebratory atmosphere swiftly became “terror”, the prosecutor said, as Doyle drove into oncoming fans while trying to collect a companion who had been at the parade.

“Some at the scene thought that what was taking place was a terrorist attack.”

Rampage Halted by Heroic Act

With injured people on the street, the vehicle’s path was brought to a halt by an ex-army member, Dan Barr, who climbed into a rear passenger seat and forced the gearstick into park. Despite this, Doyle kept his foot on the accelerator, according to evidence.

In his police interview, the defendant claimed he reacted in a “blind panic” due to a fear for his safety. However, the prosecution argued that the video demonstrated Doyle “simply lost control in his determination to reach his destination”. It was further stated: “Consumed by anger, he drove into the crowd and in doing so he intended to cause them serious harm.”

Reckless Behavior Before the Attack

The video indicated the driver had been driving dangerously before he reached the city centre, overtaking cars dangerously and jumping red lights. He ignored road closures and weaved around other cars, even emergency service vehicles, as he approached the packed streets.

Doyle is understood to be facing a jail term of over a decade when he is sentenced on Tuesday.