Driver Who Drove Through Liverpool FC Victory Parade Described as ‘In a Rage’, Court Told.

A former Royal Marines Commando acted as a “man in a rage” when he drove into dozens of Liverpool football club fans at a victory parade, in what many feared was a terrorist attack, a court has heard.

Those injured of Paul Doyle wept while dashcam footage depicted bodies spinning through the air while he sped towards the gathering and shouted: “Get out of the way!”

The 54-year-old defendant will learn his fate on Tuesday following his guilty plea at the start of his trial last month to 31 criminal charges against 29 victims, including eight minors.

‘A Man in a Rage’

The prosecution warned the court that the video evidence from Doyle’s two-tonne Ford Galaxy was “extremely graphic”. The recording revealed the parent yelling “expletives” and “move out of the way” as he drove towards 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 “individual whose anger had completely overpowered him” as he ploughed further into the crowd, accelerating while individuals were struck by his vehicle.

Extent of the Injuries

In total, 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 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 shown being thrown into the air by the vehicle, suffering a laceration on his head, broken ribs and multiple abrasions.

Doyle was heard screaming “fuck’s sake move! Get out my fucking way!” before ploughing further into panicked fans, including an elderly woman and children who became trapped beneath the vehicle.

Celebration Descends into Chaos

Addressing a packed courtroom, lawyers said about 1 million people had attended “an event they believed to be a day of joyfulness” to celebrate Liverpool winning their 20th league title. The celebratory atmosphere turned to “horror”, the prosecutor said, as Doyle drove into oncoming fans as he attempted to pick up a friend from the parade route.

Rampage Halted by Heroic Act

As bodies lay on the ground, Doyle’s rampage was brought to a halt by a former soldier, Dan Barr, who climbed into a rear passenger seat and held the car’s gear selector in “park”. Despite this, Doyle kept his foot on the accelerator, the court heard.

During questioning, the defendant stated he acted in a “state of sheer panic” because he feared for his life. Yet, 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.”

Dangerous Driving Prior to Incident

Footage showed Doyle was driving recklessly prior to entering downtown, undertaking cars at speed and running red lights. He ignored road closures and weaved around other cars, including an ambulance and police cars, as he entered the crowds.

Doyle is understood to be facing a jail term of more than 10 years when he is sentenced on Tuesday.