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An ex- Royal Marine acted as a “man in a rage” when he drove into scores of Liverpool football club supporters at a victory parade, an incident many initially feared to be a terrorist attack, a court has heard.

“The video was deeply disturbing.”

Victims in the incident cried while video from the car’s camera showed people being thrown into the air as he accelerated into crowds while screaming: “Fucking hell, move!”

The 54-year-old defendant will learn his fate on Tuesday after pleading guilty on the first day of his trial last month to 31 criminal charges involving 21 adults and eight children.

‘A Man in a Rage’

The prosecution warned those in court that the video evidence from the defendant’s large people carrier proved to be “truly shocking”. The recording revealed the parent shouting “fucking pricks” and “fucking move” while he headed straight for a large crowd of supporters, some pulling children out of the way as he blasted the horn.

It was stated in court that Doyle was a “man in a rage had completely overpowered him” as he ploughed further into the crowd, accelerating as people collided with his car.

Scale of the Carnage

Overall, the ex-marine injured 134 individuals in just seven minutes – with over fifty who needed hospital treatment. A six-month-old boy was “miraculously” uninjured even though he was left on the roadway after the vehicle struck his stroller, according to testimony.

One fan, a man named in court, was shown being thrown into the air by the vehicle, sustaining a cut on his head, broken ribs and multiple abrasions.

Doyle was heard screaming “for God’s sake move! Get out of my path!” before ploughing further into panicked fans, among them an older woman and young children who became trapped beneath the vehicle.

Celebration Descends into Chaos

Speaking to a full court, lawyers 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 turned to “terror”, the prosecutor said, when the driver entered the crowd 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, Doyle’s rampage was stopped by a former soldier, 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, Doyle stated he acted in a “blind panic” due to a fear for his safety. However, the prosecution argued that the dashcam footage showed the defendant “simply lost control in his determination to reach his destination”. The prosecutor added: “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 showed the driver had been driving dangerously before he reached the city centre, undertaking cars at speed and running red lights. He ignored road closures and weaved around other vehicles, even emergency service vehicles, as he approached the packed streets.

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