Man That Ploughed Through LFC Victory Parade Was ‘In a Rage’, Trial Told.

An ex- Royal Marines Commando acted as a “person consumed by fury” when he drove into dozens of LFC fans during a championship celebration, an incident many initially feared to be a terrorist attack, a court has heard.

Victims in the incident cried while video from the car’s camera depicted people being thrown into the air as he accelerated into crowds and shouted: “Get out of the way!”

The 54-year-old defendant is due to be sentenced on Tuesday following his guilty plea on the first day of his trial last month to 31 criminal charges against 21 adults and eight children.

‘Consumed by Anger’

The prosecution warned those in court that the footage from Doyle’s large people carrier proved to be “truly shocking”. 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.

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.

Extent of the Injuries

Overall, the former Royal Marine hurt 134 people in just seven minutes – with over fifty who needed hospital treatment. An infant was “remarkably” unharmed 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 car, suffering a cut on his head, broken ribs and multiple abrasions.

The defendant was heard screaming “for God’s sake move! Get out of my path!” 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 had attended “an event they believed to be a day of joyfulness” to celebrate the football club’s championship win. The celebratory atmosphere swiftly became “horror”, the prosecutor said, when the driver entered the crowd as he attempted to pick up a friend from the parade route.

Rampage Halted by Heroic Act

With injured people on the street, the vehicle’s path was stopped by an ex-army member, Dan Barr, who climbed into a rear passenger seat and held the car’s gear selector in “park”. Despite this, Doyle kept his foot on the accelerator, the court heard.

In his police interview, the defendant stated he acted in a “state of sheer panic” due to a fear for his safety. However, the prosecution argued that the dashcam footage showed the defendant “simply lost control in his determination to reach his destination”. The prosecutor added: “Consumed by anger, he drove into the crowd and in doing so his intent was to cause serious injury.”

Reckless Behavior Before the Attack

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

The defendant is expected to receive a jail term of more than 10 years at his sentencing hearing.