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An ex- Royal Marines Commando was a “man in a rage” as he mowed down dozens of LFC supporters at a championship celebration, an incident many initially feared to be a terrorist attack, according to court proceedings.

“The video was truly shocking.”

Victims in the incident wept as dashcam footage depicted people being thrown into the air as he accelerated into crowds and shouted: “Fucking hell, move!”

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 offences against 21 adults and eight children.

‘A Man in a Rage’

The prosecution stated those in court that the video evidence from Doyle’s large people carrier proved to be “extremely graphic”. It showed the father of three yelling “fucking pricks” as well as “move out of the way” as he drove towards hundreds of fans, with people frantically dragging children to safety as he blasted the horn.

The court was told that Doyle was a “individual whose anger had completely overpowered him” as he continued driving into the mass of people, speeding up while individuals were struck by his vehicle.

Extent of the Injuries

In total, the ex-marine injured 134 people within a mere seven-minute span – including more than 50 requiring hospital care. A six-month-old boy was “remarkably” uninjured despite being left splayed on the road when Doyle’s car hit his pram, according to testimony.

A supporter, Simon Nash, was seen being launched into the air by the car, suffering a laceration on his head, broken ribs and multiple abrasions.

Doyle 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 became trapped beneath the vehicle.

Celebration Descends into Chaos

Speaking to a full court, the prosecution said about 1 million people had attended “what they thought would be a day of joyfulness” marking the football club’s championship win. Scenes of jubilation turned to “horror”, the prosecutor said, when the driver entered the crowd as he attempted to pick up a friend from the parade route.

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

Rampage Halted by Heroic Act

With injured people on the street, Doyle’s rampage was stopped by an ex-army member, Dan Barr, who entered the back of the car 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 reacted in a “state of sheer panic” because he feared for his life. However, the prosecution argued that the dashcam footage demonstrated Doyle “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

Footage indicated the driver was driving recklessly prior to entering downtown, 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 understood to be facing a prison sentence of over a decade at his sentencing hearing.