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An ex- Royal Marines Commando acted as a “person consumed by fury” when he mowed down dozens of LFC fans during a victory parade, an incident many initially feared to be a act of terrorism, according to court proceedings.

“The footage is truly shocking.”

Those injured of Paul Doyle cried while dashcam footage showed people being thrown into the air while he sped towards the gathering while screaming: “Fucking hell, move!”

Doyle, 54, is due to be sentenced on Tuesday after pleading guilty at the start of his trial last month to 31 criminal charges against 29 victims, including eight minors.

‘A Man in a Rage’

Prosecutors warned the court that the video evidence from Doyle’s large people carrier proved to be “truly shocking”. It showed the father of three yelling “fucking pricks” 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 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 ploughed further into the crowd, speeding up as people collided with his car.

Extent of the Injuries

In total, the former Royal Marine hurt 134 individuals within a mere seven-minute span – with over fifty requiring hospital care. A six-month-old boy was “miraculously” unharmed despite being left splayed on the road after the vehicle struck his stroller, the court heard.

One fan, Simon Nash, was seen being launched into the air by the car, sustaining a laceration to the back of his head, broken ribs and multiple abrasions.

The defendant was heard screaming “for God’s sake move! Get out of my path!” before ploughing further into screaming supporters, including an elderly woman and children who were dragged under the car.

Celebration Descends into Chaos

Speaking to a full court, the prosecution said about 1 million people had attended “what they thought would be a joyous occasion” marking the football club’s championship win. The celebratory atmosphere turned to “terror”, it was said, when the driver entered the crowd while trying to collect a companion from the parade route.

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

Brave Intervention Stops Driver

With injured people on the street, the vehicle’s path was brought to a halt by an ex-army member, Dan Barr, who climbed into a rear passenger seat and forced the gearstick into park. Even then, Doyle continued pressing the gas pedal, the court heard.

In his police interview, Doyle claimed he reacted in a “blind panic” due to a fear for his safety. However, prosecutors contended that the video demonstrated Doyle “simply lost control in his desire to get to where he wanted to get to”. It was further stated: “In a rage, he targeted the crowd and as he did so he intended to cause them serious harm.”

Dangerous Driving Prior to Incident

The video showed the driver had been driving dangerously before he reached the city centre, overtaking cars dangerously and jumping red lights. He disregarded traffic diversion measures and weaved around other cars, including an ambulance and police cars, as he entered the crowds.

The defendant is expected to receive a prison sentence of over a decade at his sentencing hearing.