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An ex- Royal Marine acted as a “man in a rage” as he mowed down dozens of LFC supporters during a championship celebration, an incident many initially feared to be a act of terrorism, a court has heard.

“The video is truly shocking.”

Victims of Paul Doyle cried as 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 criminal charges involving 29 victims, including eight minors.

‘A Man in a Rage’

Prosecutors stated those in court that the footage from the defendant’s large people carrier was “extremely graphic”. The recording revealed the parent 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 acted as a “individual whose anger whose anger had completely taken hold of him” as he continued driving into the mass of people, speeding up as people collided with his car.

Extent of the Injuries

Overall, the former Royal Marine hurt 134 individuals in just seven minutes – including more than 50 requiring hospital care. A six-month-old boy was “miraculously” unharmed despite being left splayed on the road when Doyle’s car hit his pram, the court heard.

One fan, a man named in court, was shown being thrown into the air by the vehicle, sustaining a laceration on his head, broken ribs and multiple abrasions.

The defendant was heard screaming “fuck’s sake move! Get out my fucking way!” before ploughing further 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 approximately a million individuals were present at “what they thought would be a joyous occasion” to celebrate Liverpool winning their 20th league title. The celebratory atmosphere swiftly became “horror”, the prosecutor said, when the driver entered the crowd while trying to collect a companion from the parade route.

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

Brave Intervention Stops Driver

With injured people on the street, the vehicle’s path was brought to a halt by a former soldier, Dan Barr, who entered the back of the car and forced the gearstick into park. Despite this, Doyle kept his foot on the accelerator, the court heard.

During questioning, the defendant claimed he reacted in a “blind panic” due to a fear for his safety. Yet, the prosecution argued that the video demonstrated the defendant “simply lost control in his desire to get to where he wanted to get to”. The prosecutor added: “In a rage, he targeted the crowd and as he did so he intended to cause them serious harm.”

Dangerous Driving Prior to Incident

The video showed Doyle was driving recklessly prior to entering downtown, overtaking cars dangerously and running red lights. He ignored traffic diversion measures and weaved around other cars, even emergency service vehicles, as he entered the crowds.

Doyle is expected to receive a prison sentence of over a decade when he is sentenced on Tuesday.