Man charged with murder of PC Dave Phillips

A teenager has appeared in court over the murder of a police officer who died after being struck by a auto.

Clayton Williams, 18, is accused of stealing the Mitsubishi Challenger during a burglary at an estate agent in Oxton, Merseyside, on Monday and killing the officer, who was trying to lay a “stinger” to stop him.

Williams, of Wallasey, is also accused of attempting to cause grievous bodily harm with intent to Phillips’s colleague, PC Thomas Birkett, who jumped out of the way.

A fund set up in memory of a police officer killed after being hit by a stolen pick-up truck has received more than £130,000 in donations.

Clayton Williams, 18, appeared at packed court room in Wirral Magistrates’ Court accused of the murder of the family man and is remanded in custody.

Stuart spoke only to confirm his name and give his address during the brief hearing.

He will appear for a preliminary hearing at Liverpool Crown Court via prison videolink at 2pm today.

A second man, Phillip Stuart, aged 30, of Mayfair Court, Oxton, was charged with aggravated unauthorised taking of a motor vehicle and burglary.

The money will be used to support PC Phillips’ family, including 28-year-old Jen and daughters Abigail, seven, and Sophie, three.

He is next due to appear from custody at Liverpool Crown Court on October 22.

Tributes are continuing to pour in for the fallen officer, described as his children as “super daddy”.

Abi and Sophie made the memorial video to celebrate the life of the “best daddy in the world” and their mother released a set of treasured photos of the young family together.

Phillips had been involved in a sting operation to bring the truck to a holt, fellow officers had attempted to save him but he died shortly after arriving at hospital.

The stolen vehicle had been taken at around 1am during the burglary and police had pursued the pick-up for 40 minutes before the fatal crash.