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An ex- Royal Marines Commando acted as a “person consumed by fury” as he mowed down dozens of Liverpool football club fans at a victory parade, in what many feared was a act of terrorism, according to court proceedings.

“The video was profoundly upsetting.”

Victims of Paul Doyle wept as dashcam footage depicted people being thrown into the air while he sped towards the gathering and shouted: “Get out of the way!”

The 54-year-old defendant is due to be sentenced on Tuesday following his guilty plea on the first day of his trial last month to 31 criminal charges involving 29 victims, including eight minors.

‘A Man in a Rage’

Prosecutors warned those in court that the footage from the defendant’s two-tonne Ford Galaxy was “truly shocking”. It showed the father of three shouting “expletives” as well as “move out of the way” as he drove towards a large crowd of supporters, some pulling children out of the way as he blasted the horn.

It was stated in court that Doyle acted as a “individual whose anger had completely overpowered him” as he ploughed further into the crowd, accelerating while individuals were struck by his vehicle.

Scale of the Carnage

In total, the former Royal Marine injured 134 individuals in just seven minutes – including more than 50 who needed hospital treatment. 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, a man named in court, was shown being thrown into the air by the car, suffering a cut to the back of his head, rib fractures and multiple abrasions.

The defendant could be heard shouting “fuck’s sake move! Get out my fucking way!” before ploughing further into screaming supporters, including an elderly woman and children who became trapped beneath the vehicle.

Scene of Jubilation Turns to Horror

Speaking to a full court, lawyers said approximately a million individuals had attended “an event they believed to be a day of joyfulness” marking the football club’s championship win. The celebratory atmosphere turned to “terror”, the prosecutor said, when the driver entered the crowd as he attempted to pick up a friend who had been at the parade.

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

Brave Intervention Stops Driver

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

In his police interview, the defendant claimed he acted in a “blind panic” because he feared for his life. Yet, the prosecution argued that the dashcam footage showed Doyle “simply lost control in his determination to reach his destination”. The prosecutor added: “Consumed by anger, he targeted the crowd and in doing so he intended to cause them serious harm.”

Dangerous Driving Prior to Incident

Footage indicated the driver had been driving dangerously prior to entering downtown, overtaking cars dangerously and running red lights. He ignored road closures and weaved around other vehicles, including an ambulance and police cars, as he approached the packed streets.

Doyle is understood to be facing a prison sentence of over a decade at his sentencing hearing.