A cannabis-smoking security guard was today identified as the would-be mass murderer who drove his car into a packed restaurant terrace near Paris.

David Patterson, 32, faces life in prison after killing a 12-year-old girl, and leaving 13 other people severely injured.

One of them – an unidentified 44-year-old woman – remains in intensive care and her condition was tonight described as 'extremely serious'.

David Patterson, 32, faces life in prison after killing a 12-year-old girl, and leaving 13 other people severely injured

Patterson, who is thought to have British links, has meanwhile told police he was a 'manic depressive' who 'simply wanted to commit suicide.'

It was just after 8pm on Monday that his grey BMW mounted the pavement in Sept-Sorts, which is around 40 miles east of the French capital, and headed straight for the terrace of the Cesena Pizzeria.

The car ended up smashed against the restaurant bar, having killed the so far unnamed schoolgirl instantly.

Patterson was arrested by police in the seconds after the atrocity, which followed similar attacks by French nationals claiming allegiance to Islamic State.

While a terrorist motive has been thrown out, Patterson faces trial for attempted mass murder, and driving under the influence of drugs.

Prosecutor Eric de Valroger, who is leading the enquiry, said: 'He has a persecution complex, says he thought he was being followed, and that the police were investigating him.

'One of the reasons he put forward for the attack was that he would be arrested, and so be safe in prison.'

Arrested: The 32-year-old suspect is pictured being led away from the scene, seemingly uninjured, following the crash which killed a 13-year-old girl

Patterson originally told officers that he had a Kalashnikov and other weapons in the boot of his car, but this turned out to be false.

Today police including forensics specialists carried out a search of Patterson's family home in nearby Ferte-sous-Jouarre, in the Seine-et-Marne department of France.

Patterson, who is single, was living in his parents' house after losing his last job as a security guard following an accident at work.

He claims to have tried to kill himself last week, and had been taking illegal drugs, mainly cannabis, since he was nine.

Patterson's profile was posted on a number of dating sites, and he was said to be infatuated by the Hollywood star Marion Cotillard.

The younger brother of the girl who died is among four people who received serious injuries — a further eight sustained minor injuries.

French officials have said the driver 'clearly acted with intention but we have no reasons so far to suspect a terrorist motive'

The pizzeria is in an industrial zone, surrounded by other restaurants. It is particularly popular with young families on warm summer evenings like tonight

A source close to the case said 'there were quite a lot of people on the terrace' and that 'the man was arrested and is now with the police'

The horrific incident took place in the town of Sept-Sorts, which is around 40 miles east of the French capital

After the crash, roads into the village were being closed off by police and residents were instructed to remain indoors.

The pizzeria is in an industrial zone, surrounded by other restaurants. It is particularly popular with young families on warm summer evenings like tonight.

Last week an illegal immigrant to France was shot by police five times after running down six soldiers with a hired BMW in a Paris suburb.

The terrorist suspect, identified as Hamou Bachir, a 36-year-old Algerian, was caught after initially escaping the scene of the crime at Levallois-Perret.

Bachir - who also uses the name Benlatreche – ploughed into a uniformed and heavily armed unit of the 35th Infantry Regiment as they took part in Operation Sentinel.

The security initiative was set up in 2015 following a series of atrocities in Paris carried out by Islamic State and Al-Qaeda operatives.

Bachir was lurking as two three-man patrols swapped shifts, and then he approached them slowly 'before speeding up,' said local mayor Patrick Balkany.

One Twitter user posted a picture of the car, adding: @BFMTV Car in the pizzeria to Sept-Sorts

There are 10,000 soldiers patrolling France as part of Operation Sentinel, and 4,700 police and gendarmes.

France remains under a State of Emergency following a long string of attacks, including an attempt to kill a soldier at the Eiffel Tower earlier this month.

The 19-year-old psychiatric patient is in custody after he brandished a knife and pledged allegiance to Isis.

In April, 39-year-old police officers Xavier Jugele was shot dead while on duty on the Champs Elysee just days before the French presidential election.

Isis claimed the killing by Karim Cheurfi, also 39, who was shot dead by police in a gun battle. Two other officers were injured in the attack.

In June an Algerian student shouted 'This is for Syria' as he tried to attack a policeman with a hammer outside Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. He was shot and ended up in custody in hospital.

And in March a convicted criminal with links to radical Islam shouted 'I am here to die for Allah, there will be deaths' seconds before he was shot dead during an attack at Paris Orly airport.

Ziyed Ben Belgacem, a 39-year-old career criminal, was killed after wrestling a soldier's gun from her and fleeing into a McDonald's restaurant.

It followed the shooting in February of a man outside the Louvre museum in the heart of Paris after he attempted to storm the historic art gallery.

Anti-terrorism prosecutors have opened an enquiry into today's attack. The assailant will be questioned at length 'when his condition allows', said an Interior Ministry spokesman.