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A former Royal Marines Commando was a “man in a rage” as he drove into dozens of LFC supporters during a championship celebration, an incident many initially feared to be a act of terrorism, according to court proceedings.

“The video was truly shocking.”

Victims in the incident wept while dashcam footage showed bodies spinning through the air while he sped towards the gathering while screaming: “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 those in court that the video evidence from the defendant’s two-tonne Ford Galaxy proved to be “extremely graphic”. It showed the father of three shouting “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 he blasted the horn.

It was stated in court that Doyle was a “man in a rage whose anger had completely taken hold of him” as he ploughed further into the crowd, accelerating while individuals were struck by his vehicle.

Scale of the Carnage

In total, the former Royal Marine hurt 134 individuals within a mere seven-minute span – including more than 50 who needed hospital treatment. A six-month-old boy was “remarkably” 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 cut on his head, broken ribs and numerous scrapes.

The defendant was heard screaming “fuck’s sake move! Get out of my path!” prior to driving deeper into screaming supporters, including an elderly woman and children who became trapped beneath the vehicle.

Celebration Descends into Chaos

Addressing a packed courtroom, lawyers said approximately a million individuals were present at “what they thought would be a joyous occasion” marking the football club’s championship win. Scenes of jubilation turned to “horror”, it was said, when the driver entered the crowd while trying to collect a companion from the parade route.

“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 a former soldier, a man identified in court, 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, Doyle stated he acted in a “blind panic” because he feared for his life. Yet, prosecutors contended that the video showed the defendant “just lost his temper in his determination to reach his destination”. The prosecutor added: “In a rage, he drove into the crowd and as he did so his intent was to cause serious injury.”

Reckless Behavior Before the Attack

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

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