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An ex- Royal Marine was a “man in a rage” as he mowed down scores of LFC supporters at a victory parade, an incident many initially feared to be a act of terrorism, according to court proceedings.

“The video was deeply disturbing.”

Victims of Paul Doyle wept as video from the car’s camera depicted people being thrown into 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 29 victims, including eight minors.

‘A Man in a Rage’

Prosecutors stated those in court that the footage from Doyle’s two-tonne Ford Galaxy proved to be “extremely graphic”. It showed the father of three shouting “expletives” and “fucking move” while he headed straight for hundreds of fans, some pulling children out of the way as he blasted the horn.

It was stated in court that Doyle was a “individual whose anger whose anger had completely taken hold of him” as he ploughed further into the crowd, 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 requiring hospital care. A six-month-old boy was “remarkably” unharmed despite being left splayed on the road when Doyle’s car hit his pram, according to testimony.

One fan, Simon Nash, was shown being thrown into the air by the vehicle, suffering a laceration on his head, broken ribs and numerous scrapes.

The defendant was heard screaming “fuck’s sake move! Get out of my path!” 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

Speaking to a full court, the prosecution said about 1 million people had attended “what they thought would be a joyous occasion” marking Liverpool winning their 20th league title. The celebratory atmosphere turned to “terror”, it was said, as Doyle drove into oncoming fans while trying to collect a companion who had been at the parade.

“Witnesses thought that the events unfolding was a terrorist attack.”

Rampage Halted by Heroic Act

As bodies lay on the ground, the vehicle’s path was brought to a halt by an ex-army member, a man identified in court, who climbed into a rear passenger seat and forced the gearstick into park. Despite this, Doyle continued pressing the gas pedal, the court heard.

In his police interview, Doyle stated 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 desire to get to where he wanted to get to”. The prosecutor added: “Consumed by anger, he targeted the crowd and in doing so he intended to cause them serious harm.”

Reckless Behavior Before the Attack

The video showed Doyle was driving recklessly prior to entering downtown, overtaking cars dangerously and jumping red lights. He disregarded traffic diversion measures and weaved around other vehicles, including an ambulance and police cars, as he approached the packed streets.

Doyle is expected to receive a prison sentence of over a decade at his sentencing hearing.