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A former Royal Marines Commando acted as a “man in a rage” when he mowed down dozens of Liverpool football club fans at a victory parade, an incident many initially feared to be a act of terrorism, according to court proceedings.

“The video was profoundly upsetting.”

Those injured in the incident wept as 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 is due to be sentenced on Tuesday following his guilty plea at the start of his trial last month to 31 criminal charges involving 21 adults and eight children.

‘A Man in a Rage’

Prosecutors stated the court that the video evidence from Doyle’s large people carrier was “truly shocking”. The recording revealed the father of three yelling “expletives” and “move out of the way” while he headed straight for a large crowd of supporters, with people frantically dragging children to safety as he blasted the horn.

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

Scale of the Carnage

In total, the former Royal Marine injured 134 people in just seven minutes – with over fifty who needed hospital treatment. A six-month-old boy was “miraculously” unharmed even though he was left on the roadway when Doyle’s car hit his pram, according to testimony.

A supporter, a man named in court, was shown being thrown into the air by the vehicle, suffering a laceration to the back of his head, rib fractures and numerous scrapes.

The defendant could be heard shouting “fuck’s sake move! Get out of my path!” before ploughing further into screaming supporters, 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 approximately a million individuals had attended “an event they believed to be a joyous occasion” to celebrate Liverpool winning their 20th league title. Scenes of jubilation turned to “terror”, the prosecutor said, as Doyle drove into oncoming fans as he attempted to pick up a friend from the parade route.

“Some at the scene thought that the events unfolding constituted a terrorist incident.”

Brave Intervention Stops Driver

As bodies lay on the ground, Doyle’s rampage was stopped by an ex-army member, a man identified in court, who entered the back of the car and held the car’s gear selector in “park”. Despite this, Doyle continued pressing the gas pedal, the court heard.

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 video 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 he intended to cause them serious harm.”

Reckless Behavior Before the Attack

The video indicated the driver was driving recklessly prior to entering downtown, undertaking cars at speed and running red lights. He ignored traffic diversion measures and bypassed 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.