PC Dave Phillips murder accused Clayton Williams, 18, back in court

The teenager accused of murdering PC Dave Phillips today apologised to the officer’s family – and is said to be “adamant” he did not intend to hurt or kill him.

‘From the outset at the police station, Mr Williams has accepted that his actions and his driving caused the death of PC Phillips.

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.

Mr Williams is accused of murdering the father of two, attempting to wound another police officer, aggravated theft of a motor vehicle and burglary.

Williams’s co-accused Philip Mark Stuart, 30, of Prenton, Wirral, is accused of burglary and aggravated vehicle-taking and death caused by an accident, after allegedly being carried in the Mitsubishi. “It is extremely important that there should be no reporting, commentary or sharing of information online which could in any way prejudice these proceedings”.

He had served Merseyside Police for more than nine years and leaves his wife Jen, 28, and daughters Abigail, seven, and Sophie, three.

Williams was being pursued by police as he drove the Mitsubishi pick-up truck, allegedly stolen during a burglary.

The official fundraising page, set up by the Merseyside Police Federation, has raised £116,141 in memory of the 34-year-old, who was killed in the line of duty in the early hours of Monday morning.

Williams was remanded in custody until his next court appearance on October 22.

In a heartbreaking video, his children Abigail and Sophie paid tribute to “the best dad in the world”, a man they knew as “super daddy”.

After a 40-minute police pursuit, PC Phillips and a colleague tried to use a “stinger” device to stop the vehicle, which mounted a central reservation and hit the officer, before speeding off.

PC Phillips sister Hannah Whieldon, 31, told a press conference this week: “Two girls have been left without a daddy”.

Williams spoke only to confirm his name and date of birth in a two-minute hearing at Wirral Magistrates’ Court.

After a hearing at Liverpool crown court, during which Williams appeared via video link, his solicitor, Andrew Egerton, issued a statement on behalf of the defendant.

The vehicle was later found dumped in a cul-de-sac a quarter of a mile away on Corbyn Street, Wallasey.