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A former Royal Marine acted as a “man in a rage” when he drove into scores of Liverpool football club supporters at a victory parade, in what many feared was a act of terrorism, a court has heard.

“The video is deeply disturbing.”

Victims of Paul Doyle cried while video from the car’s camera depicted people being thrown into the air as he accelerated into crowds and shouted: “Fucking hell, move!”

Doyle, 54, will learn his fate on Tuesday after pleading guilty at the start of his trial last month to 31 offences involving 29 victims, including eight minors.

‘A Man in a Rage’

Prosecutors stated the court that the video evidence from the defendant’s two-tonne Ford Galaxy proved to be “extremely graphic”. It showed the parent shouting “expletives” and “fucking move” as he drove towards 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.

Scale of the Carnage

In total, the ex-marine hurt 134 individuals within a mere seven-minute span – including more than 50 requiring hospital care. An infant was “remarkably” uninjured even though he was left on the roadway after the vehicle struck his stroller, the court heard.

A supporter, Simon Nash, was shown being thrown into the air by the car, suffering a laceration to the back of his head, rib fractures and multiple abrasions.

Doyle was heard screaming “fuck’s sake move! Get out my fucking way!” prior to driving deeper into screaming supporters, including an elderly woman and children who were dragged under the car.

Celebration Descends into Chaos

Addressing a packed courtroom, lawyers said about 1 million people were present at “an event they believed to be a joyous occasion” to celebrate the football club’s championship win. The celebratory atmosphere turned to “horror”, the prosecutor said, when the driver entered the crowd while trying to collect a companion who had been at the parade.

“Witnesses believed the events unfolding was a terrorist attack.”

Rampage Halted by Heroic Act

As bodies lay on the ground, Doyle’s rampage was brought to a halt by an ex-army member, Dan Barr, who entered the back of the car 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 “state of sheer panic” due to a fear for his safety. However, the prosecution argued that the video showed Doyle “just lost his temper in his determination to reach his destination”. The prosecutor added: “In a rage, he targeted the crowd and as he did so he intended to cause them serious harm.”

Reckless Behavior Before the Attack

The video showed Doyle had been driving dangerously prior to entering downtown, overtaking cars dangerously and jumping red lights. He ignored road closures and bypassed other vehicles, even emergency service vehicles, as he approached the packed streets.

The defendant is understood to be facing a jail term of over a decade when he is sentenced on Tuesday.