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A former Royal Marine was a “person consumed by fury” when he drove into dozens of LFC fans during a championship celebration, an incident many initially feared to be a terrorist attack, a court has heard.

“The video was profoundly upsetting.”

Victims in the incident cried as dashcam footage showed bodies spinning through the air as he accelerated into crowds while screaming: “Fucking hell, move!”

Doyle, 54, is due to be sentenced on Tuesday following his guilty plea on the first day of his trial last month to 31 criminal charges involving 29 victims, including eight minors.

‘A Man in a Rage’

Prosecutors stated those in court that the video evidence from the defendant’s two-tonne Ford Galaxy was “truly shocking”. It showed the parent shouting “fucking pricks” 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.

The court was told that Doyle was a “individual whose anger whose anger had completely taken hold of him” as he ploughed further into the crowd, speeding up while individuals were struck by his vehicle.

Extent of the Injuries

In total, the former Royal Marine injured 134 people in just seven minutes – with over fifty requiring hospital care. A six-month-old boy was “miraculously” unharmed even though he was left on the roadway after the vehicle struck his stroller, according to testimony.

A supporter, a man named in court, was shown being thrown into the air by the car, sustaining a laceration to the back of his head, broken ribs and numerous scrapes.

Doyle was heard screaming “fuck’s sake move! Get out my fucking way!” before ploughing further into screaming supporters, among them an older woman and young children who were dragged under the car.

Scene of Jubilation Turns to Horror

Addressing a packed courtroom, lawyers said about 1 million people had attended “what they thought would be a joyous occasion” marking the football club’s championship win. Scenes of jubilation turned to “terror”, it was said, as Doyle drove into oncoming fans while trying to collect a companion from the parade route.

“Some at the scene thought that what was taking place was a terrorist attack.”

Rampage Halted by Heroic Act

As bodies lay on the ground, the vehicle’s path was brought to a halt 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”. Even then, Doyle kept his foot on the accelerator, according to evidence.

In his police interview, the defendant claimed he reacted in a “state of sheer panic” due to a fear for his safety. However, the prosecution argued that the dashcam footage showed the defendant “simply lost control in his desire to get to where he wanted to get to”. The prosecutor added: “In a rage, he targeted the crowd and in doing so he intended to cause them serious harm.”

Dangerous Driving Prior to Incident

The video indicated Doyle was driving recklessly before he reached the city centre, overtaking cars dangerously and jumping red lights. He ignored road closures 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 more than 10 years when he is sentenced on Tuesday.