Two men charged in connection with murder of PC David Phillips

Later today at Merseyside Police headquarters in Liverpool, around a dozen members of the family are expected to pay tribute to Pc Phillips at a press conference, attended by his widow, the officer’s sister Hannah and Dave George, who has known him since their school days and was his best friend.

PC Phillips’ parents, Robin and Carol, his middle sister Hannah and her husband with their two children, and his youngest sister Kate were also at the scene.

PC Phillips, a father of two, died following a burglary at a sales and letting agency in Birkenhead in which a Mitsubishi pick-up truck was stolen.

The police officer and a colleague carried out a 40-minute pursuit before deploying a “stinger” device to stop the Mitsubishi Challenger L200.

The latest development come after officers arrested two men on suspicion of PC Phillips’ murder.

PC Phillips’ colleagues carried out CPR before he was taken to Arrowe Park Hospital, but he was pronounced dead a short while later.

A Home Office post-mortem examination said he died from internal injuries suffered in the impact with the vehicle, which was later found abandoned in Corbyn Street, Wallasey.

“Since the investigation was launched yesterday we have been inundated with calls from members of the public and as a result we are following up a number of positive lines of inquiry”.

Police still want to hear from anyone who may have information that could help their investigation. Singleton said his colleagues were “understandably devastated” and a memorial fund has been set up.

Mrs Phillips left her own bouquet of white lilies with a photo of the couple from their wedding day.

In her tribute, Abi wrote: “I love you so much”.

A police presence remained outside Oxton Estates in Woodhouse Road, where the Mitsubishi was stolen.

The note from Swasie Turner MBE, said: “A dedicated copper, a true and real hero of our police service who has so tragically paid the ultimate sacrifice to ensure our safety and security”.

The officer’s family released the following video. He was simply doing his job.

Earlier his wife and children laid roses and lillies and blew kisses for the murdered 34-year-old at the spot in Wallesey where he was knocked down and killed by a stolen vehicle on Monday.

“I thought something was wrong, I could see there were lots of people out there and there was something wrong”.