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An ex- Royal Marine was a “man in a rage” when he mowed down scores of Liverpool football club supporters during a championship celebration, in what many feared was a terrorist attack, a court has heard.

“The footage was truly shocking.”

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 while screaming: “Get out of the way!”

Doyle, 54, is due to be sentenced on Tuesday after pleading guilty on the first day of his trial last month to 31 criminal charges against 21 adults and eight children.

‘A Man in a Rage’

Prosecutors warned those in court that the footage from the defendant’s two-tonne Ford Galaxy proved to be “truly shocking”. It showed the father of three yelling “fucking pricks” as well as “move out of the way” as he drove towards hundreds of fans, some pulling children out of the way as his car horn blared.

The court was told that Doyle acted as a “man in a rage had completely overpowered him” as he ploughed further into the crowd, speeding up as people collided with his car.

Scale of the Carnage

In total, the ex-marine injured 134 people within a mere seven-minute span – including more than 50 who needed hospital treatment. An infant was “remarkably” uninjured despite being left splayed on the road when Doyle’s car hit his pram, the court heard.

One fan, Simon Nash, was seen being launched into the air by the vehicle, sustaining a cut on his head, rib fractures and numerous scrapes.

Doyle could be heard shouting “fuck’s sake move! Get out my fucking way!” before ploughing further into screaming supporters, among them an older woman and young children who became trapped beneath the vehicle.

Scene of Jubilation Turns to Horror

Addressing a packed courtroom, lawyers said about 1 million people had attended “an event they believed to be a joyous occasion” to celebrate Liverpool winning their 20th league title. Scenes of jubilation turned to “terror”, the prosecutor said, as Doyle drove into oncoming fans as he attempted to pick up a friend who had been at the parade.

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

Brave Intervention Stops Driver

With injured people on the street, Doyle’s rampage was brought to a halt by an ex-army member, a man identified in court, who entered the back of the car and held the car’s gear selector in “park”. Despite this, Doyle kept his foot on the accelerator, according to evidence.

In his police interview, the defendant claimed he acted in a “state of sheer panic” because he feared for his life. However, the prosecution argued that the dashcam footage demonstrated the defendant “simply lost control in his desire to get to where he wanted to get to”. It was further stated: “Consumed by anger, he drove into the crowd and as he did so he intended to cause them serious harm.”

Dangerous Driving Prior to Incident

Footage indicated the driver was driving recklessly before he reached the city centre, undertaking cars at speed and jumping red lights. He disregarded road closures and bypassed other vehicles, including an ambulance and police cars, as he entered the crowds.

The defendant is expected to receive a prison sentence of more than 10 years when he is sentenced on Tuesday.