A teenager from Wallasey has been remanded in custody after appearing in court accused of the murder of PC  Dave Phillips.

Clayton Ronald Williams, 18, of Wheatland Lane, stood handcuffed to a prison officer in the dock, accused of stealing a Mitsubishi pick-up truck during a burglary and driving it at the officer, killing him.

Wirral Globe:
A van believed to carrying Clayton Ronald Williams, 18, arrives at Wirral Magistrates Court. Picture: Peter Byrne/PA Wire

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

He faces additional charges of the initial burglary and aggravated vehicle-taking of the pick-up truck, which was taken during a break-in at an estate agents in Oxton, on Monday.

Williams, dressed in a grey T-shirt and jogging bottoms, spoke only to confirm his name and date of birth in a two-minute hearing at Wirral Magistrates' Court.

He was remanded in custody to appear at Liverpool Crown Court.

Prosecutor Helen Graves asked the magistrates for the defendant to remain in handcuffs for the brief hearing and the application was granted.

Three police officers guarded the door to the court, next to press benches crammed with reporters.

There was a heavy police presence outside the courtroom with officers in the corridors and more police outside the court building.

Williams kept his head down for most of the hearing, occasionally scanning the courtroom.

He nodded as Alan Smith, chairman of the bench, told him he would be remanded into custody to appear at Liverpool Crown Court on Friday and replied, "Yeh," when asked if he understood proceedings.

The full charges Williams faces are the murder of PC Phillips, attempted wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm to PC Thomas Birkett, burglary of Oxton Estates and stealing a cash till, fishing equipment, electrical items and vehicle keys and aggravated vehicle taking and dangerous driving, described in the charges as the "initial taker" of the Mitsubishi L200 Challenger.

The charge states the vehicle was driven dangerously and that "additional aggravating factors were the murder of PC 6554 David Andrew Victor Phillips and the attempted wounding of PC 5344 Thomas Anthony Birkett".

Williams' co-accused, Philip Stuart, 30, was brought into court after a short adjournment.

Stuart, of Mayfair Court, Prenton, is accused of the burglary of Oxton Estates and, the charge sheet states, aggravated vehicle taking and death caused by an accident, after allegedly being carried in the Mitsubishi.

Stuart, who has lost his right arm, was wearing a grey sweatshirt and jogging bottoms, and spoke only to confirm his name and give his address during the brief hearing.   

He was remanded into custody to appear at Liverpool Crown Court on October 22.

There was no application for bail today and prosecutor Helen Graves said any application at a later date will be opposed.

Constable Phillips, 34, was trying to use a "stinger" type device to puncture the pick-up truck's wheels when he was struck on Dock Road, Wallasey, in the early hours of Monday.

The officer, whose wife Jen, 28, and daughters Abigail, aged seven, and Sophie, aged three, laid flowers at the scene, was pronounced dead in hospital a short time later.

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.

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