PC Phillips murder: Three charged with assisting offender

Three more people have been charged in connection with the murder of Merseyside Police officer Dave Phillips.

Georgia Clarke, 19, of Wallasey, Dawn Cooper, 34, of Wallasey, and Michael Smith, 19 of Gateacre, Liverpool are due to appear at Wirral Magistrates Court today charged with assisting an offender.

PC Phillips was hit by a Mitsubishi pick-up truck while trying to use a stinger device on the vehicle taken in a burglary last week.

The 34-year-old died in hospital shortly after the incident in Wallasey, Merseyside on October 5.

A statement from Merseyside Police said: “We can confirm that three people have been charged with assisting an offender following the murder of PC Dave Phillips in the early hours of Monday, October 5, 2015.”

On Wednesday an inquest was opened and adjourned at Liverpool Coroner`s Court to allow coroner Andre Rebello to formally register the death and release the body of the father of two to his family to prepare for his funeral.

His widow Jennifer formally identified Pc Phillips` body, the hearing was told, after the incident.

Clayton Williams, 18, of Wheatland Lane, Wallasey, is accused of murdering PC Phillips, attempting to wound another police officer, aggravated theft of a motor vehicle and burglary. He will appear at Liverpool Crown Court on October 22.

A second man, Phillip Stuart, 30, of Mayfair Court, Oxton, has been charged with burglary and aggravated taking of a vehicle. He is scheduled to appear on the same day as Williams.