A man has admitted battering a police van as officers were trapped inside and left “fearing for their lives” during rioting in Southport.

Luke Moran’s attack was captured on police body-worn camera footage as he repeatedly punched the vehicle and tried to rip off a wing mirror.

The 38-year-old, of Leybourne Avenue in Birkdale, Merseyside, pleaded guilty to violent disorder at Liverpool Magistrates’ Court following the incident on Zetland Street in Southport on 30 July.

Moran was one of a crowd of people throwing missiles, bins and other items at police, The Crown Prosecution Service said.

The disorder broke out less than an hour after a vigil held in memory of the three young girls killed in the stabbings at a Taylor Swift-themed dance workshop in the town.

Moran will be sentenced on 21 August.

In a statement, an officer said he had “seriously feared” for his safety during the police van incident and there was an “obvious hardcore element of the mob which stood at the front of the crowd who were intent on inflicting harm on officers”.

Moran was arrested on 14 August by Merseyside Police after being identified from CCTV footage.

He told officers during a police interview: “I was nowhere near Zetland Street, St Luke’s Street, mate”.

District crown prosecutor Sarah Gray said: “The footage of Moran battering at the police van door is truly shocking.

“It made it impossible for the officer to either drive away or get out – the level of violence and aggression used was absolutely appalling.

“The idea that Moran was motivated to behave in such a dreadful way in response to the murder of three children is extremely distressing and quite disgusting.”

Sarah Hammond, chief crown prosecutor for CPS Mersey-Cheshire, said: “Make no mistake, if you have taken part either by fanning the flames online or by bringing violence and disruption to our community, you will be caught, convicted and most likely imprisoned.”