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An ex- Royal Marine was a “man in a rage” as he drove into dozens of LFC fans at a victory parade, in what many feared was a act of terrorism, according to court proceedings.

“The footage was profoundly upsetting.”

Those injured of Paul Doyle cried as dashcam footage depicted people being thrown into the air as he accelerated into crowds 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 criminal charges involving 29 victims, including eight minors.

‘A Man in a Rage’

Prosecutors warned the court that the video evidence from Doyle’s large people carrier was “extremely graphic”. The recording revealed the parent shouting “expletives” 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.

It was stated in court that Doyle acted as a “man in a rage whose anger had completely taken hold of him” as he ploughed further into the crowd, speeding up while individuals were struck by his vehicle.

Scale of the Carnage

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 when Doyle’s car hit his pram, according to testimony.

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

Doyle could be heard shouting “for God’s sake move! Get out of my path!” prior to driving deeper into screaming supporters, among them an older woman and young children who were dragged under the car.

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 the football club’s championship win. The celebratory atmosphere turned to “terror”, the prosecutor said, when the driver entered the crowd while trying to collect a companion who had been at the parade.

“Witnesses believed what was taking place constituted a terrorist incident.”

Brave Intervention Stops Driver

With injured people on the street, the vehicle’s path was stopped by a former soldier, a man identified in court, who entered the back of the car and forced the gearstick into park. Despite this, Doyle continued pressing the gas pedal, according to evidence.

During questioning, Doyle stated he acted in a “blind panic” because he feared for his life. However, the prosecution argued that the dashcam footage showed the defendant “just lost his temper in his determination to reach his destination”. It was further stated: “Consumed by anger, he drove into the crowd and as he did so he intended to cause them serious harm.”

Reckless Behavior Before the Attack

The video indicated the driver was driving recklessly prior to entering downtown, overtaking cars dangerously and jumping red lights. He disregarded traffic diversion measures and weaved around other vehicles, including an ambulance and police cars, as he approached the packed streets.

The defendant is understood to be facing a prison sentence of more than 10 years when he is sentenced on Tuesday.