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An ex- Royal Marine was a “person consumed by fury” when he drove into scores of Liverpool football club fans during a victory parade, in what many feared was a terrorist attack, according to court proceedings.

“The video was profoundly upsetting.”

Those injured of Paul Doyle wept 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 after pleading guilty on the first day of his trial last month to 31 criminal charges against 29 victims, including eight minors.

‘Consumed by Anger’

The prosecution warned the court that the video evidence from Doyle’s two-tonne Ford Galaxy proved to be “truly shocking”. It showed the parent shouting “fucking pricks” and “fucking move” while he headed straight for a large crowd of supporters, with people frantically dragging children to safety as his car horn blared.

The court was told that Doyle was a “man in a rage whose anger had completely taken hold of him” as he continued driving into the mass of people, accelerating as people collided with his car.

Extent of the Injuries

Overall, the ex-marine injured 134 people within a mere seven-minute span – including more than 50 requiring hospital care. A six-month-old boy was “miraculously” uninjured even though he was left on the roadway when Doyle’s car hit his pram, the court heard.

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

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

Celebration Descends into Chaos

Speaking to a full court, the prosecution 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. Scenes of jubilation swiftly became “horror”, the prosecutor said, as Doyle drove into oncoming fans while trying to collect a companion from the parade route.

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

Brave Intervention Stops Driver

As bodies lay on the ground, the vehicle’s path was stopped by an ex-army member, a man identified in court, who climbed into a rear passenger seat and forced the gearstick into park. Despite this, Doyle kept his foot on the accelerator, according to evidence.

In his police interview, Doyle stated he reacted in a “blind panic” because he feared for his life. Yet, the prosecution argued that the video demonstrated the defendant “just lost his temper 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 in doing so his intent was to cause serious injury.”

Dangerous Driving Prior to Incident

The video indicated Doyle had been driving dangerously prior to entering downtown, undertaking cars at speed and running red lights. He disregarded road closures and weaved around other cars, including an ambulance and police cars, as he entered the crowds.

The defendant is understood to be facing a jail term of more than 10 years at his sentencing hearing.