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A former Royal Marines Commando was a “person consumed by fury” as he mowed down scores of Liverpool football club fans during a championship celebration, in what many feared was a terrorist attack, a court has heard.

“The footage was truly shocking.”

Those injured of Paul Doyle cried as dashcam footage showed bodies spinning through the air while he sped towards the gathering and shouted: “Fucking hell, move!”

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 offences involving 21 adults and eight children.

‘A Man in a Rage’

The prosecution warned the court that the video evidence from Doyle’s large people carrier was “truly shocking”. The recording revealed the father of three yelling “fucking pricks” and “move out of the way” while he headed straight for hundreds of fans, with people frantically dragging children to safety as he blasted the horn.

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 injured 134 people in just seven minutes – including more than 50 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.

A supporter, a man named in court, was seen being launched into the air by the vehicle, suffering a laceration on his head, broken ribs and multiple abrasions.

Doyle was heard screaming “for God’s sake move! Get out my fucking way!” prior to driving deeper into panicked fans, 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 day of joyfulness” marking the football club’s championship win. The celebratory atmosphere swiftly became “terror”, the prosecutor said, as Doyle drove into oncoming fans while trying to collect a companion from the parade route.

“Witnesses believed what was taking place was a terrorist attack.”

Rampage Halted by Heroic Act

With injured people on the street, Doyle’s rampage was brought to a halt 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.

During questioning, Doyle claimed he acted in a “blind panic” because he feared for his life. However, prosecutors contended that the dashcam footage demonstrated Doyle “just lost his temper in his determination to reach his destination”. The prosecutor added: “Consumed by anger, he targeted the crowd and in doing so his intent was to cause serious injury.”

Dangerous Driving Prior to Incident

The video showed Doyle had been driving dangerously before he reached the city centre, undertaking cars at speed and running red lights. He disregarded road closures and bypassed other cars, including an ambulance and police cars, as he entered the crowds.

Doyle is expected to receive a jail term of over a decade when he is sentenced on Tuesday.