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An ex- Royal Marines Commando acted as a “man in a rage” when he drove into scores of LFC supporters during a championship celebration, an incident many initially feared to be a terrorist attack, a court has heard.

“The video was deeply disturbing.”

Victims of Paul Doyle wept as video from the car’s camera showed people being thrown into the air while he sped towards the gathering and shouted: “Get out of the way!”

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

‘A Man in a Rage’

Prosecutors stated those in court that the video evidence from Doyle’s large people carrier proved to be “truly shocking”. The recording revealed the parent shouting “fucking pricks” and “fucking move” 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, accelerating while individuals were struck by his vehicle.

Extent of the Injuries

In total, the former Royal Marine hurt 134 individuals within a mere seven-minute span – with over fifty requiring hospital care. An infant was “remarkably” uninjured despite being left splayed on the road when Doyle’s car hit his pram, according to testimony.

One fan, a man named in court, was seen being launched into the air by the car, suffering a cut to the back of his head, rib fractures and numerous scrapes.

Doyle was heard screaming “fuck’s sake move! Get out my fucking way!” prior to driving deeper into panicked fans, including an elderly woman and 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” to celebrate Liverpool winning their 20th league title. Scenes of jubilation turned to “terror”, it was said, when the driver entered the crowd as he attempted to pick up a friend from the parade route.

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

Rampage Halted by Heroic Act

As bodies lay on the ground, Doyle’s rampage was stopped by an ex-army member, a man identified in court, who entered the back of the car and forced the gearstick into park. Despite this, Doyle kept his foot on the accelerator, according to evidence.

During questioning, Doyle stated he acted in a “blind panic” because he feared for his life. Yet, the prosecution argued that the video showed the defendant “just lost his temper in his desire to get to where he wanted to get to”. It was further stated: “In a rage, he drove into the crowd and in doing so his intent was to cause serious injury.”

Dangerous Driving Prior to Incident

The video showed the driver had been driving dangerously prior to entering downtown, overtaking cars dangerously and jumping red lights. He disregarded road closures and bypassed other cars, even emergency service vehicles, as he entered the crowds.

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