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An ex- Royal Marines Commando was a “person consumed by fury” as he drove into dozens of Liverpool football club supporters at a victory parade, an incident many initially feared to be a act of terrorism, a court has heard.

“The video was truly shocking.”

Those injured of Paul Doyle cried as video from the car’s camera depicted bodies spinning through the air while he sped towards the gathering while screaming: “Get out of the way!”

Doyle, 54, will learn his fate on Tuesday after pleading guilty at the start of his trial last month to 31 criminal charges against 21 adults and eight children.

‘A Man in a Rage’

Prosecutors warned the court that the video evidence from Doyle’s large people carrier proved to be “truly shocking”. The recording revealed the parent shouting “expletives” and “fucking move” as he drove towards hundreds of fans, with people frantically dragging children to safety as he blasted the horn.

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

Extent of the Injuries

In total, the ex-marine hurt 134 people in just seven minutes – with over fifty requiring hospital care. An infant was “miraculously” uninjured even though he was left on the roadway after the vehicle struck his stroller, according to testimony.

One fan, Simon Nash, was shown being thrown into the air by the vehicle, suffering a cut to the back of his head, broken ribs and multiple abrasions.

The defendant could be heard shouting “fuck’s sake move! Get out my fucking way!” before ploughing further into panicked fans, 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 were present at “what they thought would be a joyous occasion” marking the football club’s championship win. The celebratory atmosphere swiftly became “terror”, the prosecutor said, as Doyle drove into oncoming fans as he attempted to pick up a friend from the parade route.

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

Rampage Halted by Heroic Act

With injured people on the street, Doyle’s rampage was stopped by a former soldier, a man identified in court, who climbed into a rear passenger seat and held the car’s gear selector in “park”. Even then, Doyle kept his foot on the accelerator, the court heard.

In his police interview, the defendant stated he reacted in a “blind panic” because he feared for his life. However, the prosecution argued that the dashcam footage demonstrated Doyle “simply lost control in his desire to get to where he wanted to get to”. The prosecutor added: “In a rage, he drove into the crowd and as he did so his intent was to cause serious injury.”

Reckless Behavior Before the Attack

The video indicated Doyle was driving recklessly prior to entering downtown, undertaking cars at speed and running red lights. He disregarded traffic diversion measures and bypassed other vehicles, even emergency service vehicles, as he entered the crowds.

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