This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2014/dec/23/men-court-liverpool-murder-pc-neil-doyle

The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Two men in court over PC Neil Doyle murder Two men in court over PC Neil Doyle murder
(35 minutes later)
Two men accused of murdering an off-duty police constable have appeared in court.Two men accused of murdering an off-duty police constable have appeared in court.
PC Neil Doyle, 36, was attacked in Liverpool city centre in the early hours of last Friday during a night out with colleagues.PC Neil Doyle, 36, was attacked in Liverpool city centre in the early hours of last Friday during a night out with colleagues.
In a 10-minute hearing at Liverpool crown court, Andrew Taylor, 28, of Huyton, and Christopher Spendlove, 30, of Stockbridge Village, were remanded in custody until 6 January.In a 10-minute hearing at Liverpool crown court, Andrew Taylor, 28, of Huyton, and Christopher Spendlove, 30, of Stockbridge Village, were remanded in custody until 6 January.
Up to 40 people crammed into the public gallery for the brief hearing. Among those on one side of the gallery was believed to be Spendlove’s mother, who gestured warmly to her son as he was led from the dock.
Both defendants spoke only to confirm their names and dates of birth.
Doyle and two other off-duty officers were attacked in Colquitt Street at about 3.15am. The two officers were treated in hospital for facial injuries.
Both defendants also face charges that they caused grievous bodily harm with intent to those two officers, named in court on Tuesday as Michael Steventon and Robert Marsh.
No applications for bail were made as the Recorder of Liverpool, Judge Clement Goldstone QC, adjourned the proceedings and said a trial date would be set at the next preliminary hearing.
Richard Pratt QC, representing Taylor, said there were some matters of “considerable anxiety” for his client which he wished to be aired in court, and were noted by the judge.
After the hearing, Pratt confirmed that Taylor wanted to “deflect” any suggestion that the incident had been a targeted attack, adding that Taylor did not deliver any blows.
It is understood that the defendants, said to be close friends, played football together while studying at Oklahoma City University in the US.
They were team-mates at Austin Aztex football team, which was managed at the time by former Everton footballer Adrian Heath.
Taylor returned to the UK to sign for non-league team Forest Green Rovers in 2009 before transfers to Burscough FC and Vauxhall Motors.
Spendlove stayed in the US and went on to play for Portland Phoenix, Wilmington Hammerheads and Oklahoma City Energy, where he was named assistant coach in January.
Shortly after Doyle’s death, his widow said: “Neil was very well-loved by all of his family, friends and colleagues and it is a great loss to us all. We are finding it extremely difficult to come to terms with what has happened and need time to be left to grieve.”
The couple married in July and were due to go on their honeymoon next month.
A postmortem examination concluded that Doyle died from a fatal bleed around the brain.