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A former Royal Marine was a “person consumed by fury” as he drove into dozens of Liverpool football club supporters during a victory parade, an incident many initially feared to be a terrorist attack, a court has heard.

“The video was profoundly upsetting.”

Those injured of Paul Doyle cried while dashcam footage depicted people being thrown into the air as he accelerated into crowds and shouted: “Get out of the way!”

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.

‘Consumed by Anger’

The prosecution stated the court that the footage from the defendant’s two-tonne Ford Galaxy was “extremely graphic”. The recording revealed the father of three yelling “expletives” and “fucking move” as he drove towards hundreds of fans, with people frantically dragging children to safety as he blasted the horn.

The court was told that Doyle was a “man in a rage whose anger had completely taken hold of 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 people within a mere seven-minute span – with over fifty requiring hospital care. An infant was “miraculously” uninjured despite being left splayed on the road when Doyle’s car hit his pram, according to testimony.

One fan, a man named in court, was seen being launched into the air by the car, suffering a cut to the back of his head, rib fractures and multiple abrasions.

The defendant was heard screaming “for God’s sake move! Get out my fucking way!” before ploughing further into panicked fans, among them an older woman and young children who were dragged under the car.

Celebration Descends into Chaos

Speaking to a full court, lawyers said approximately a million individuals had attended “an event they believed to be a day of joyfulness” to celebrate Liverpool winning their 20th league title. Scenes of jubilation swiftly became “terror”, it was said, as Doyle drove into oncoming fans as he attempted to pick up a friend who had been at the parade.

“Some at the scene believed the events unfolding was a terrorist attack.”

Brave Intervention Stops Driver

With injured people on the street, the vehicle’s path was stopped by an ex-army member, a man identified in court, who entered the back of the car and forced the gearstick into park. Even then, Doyle kept his foot on the accelerator, according to evidence.

During questioning, Doyle stated he reacted in a “blind panic” due to a fear for his safety. Yet, 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.”

Reckless Behavior Before the Attack

The video indicated Doyle had been driving dangerously before he reached the city centre, undertaking cars at speed and running red lights. He disregarded traffic diversion measures and weaved around other cars, even emergency service vehicles, as he entered the crowds.

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