PC ‘ stood no chance as teen used truck like murder weapon’
A TEENAGER used a stolen truck as a “weapon to murder” a police officer in a “cowardly and merciless act”, a court heard yesterday.
Clayton Williams, 19, allegedly gave PC Dave Phillips “no chance” as he struck him with a Mitsubishi 4x4 while the 34- year- old deployed a stinger device during a police chase.
The father of two’s widow Jen cried in the public gallery yesterday as she heard how he was thrown into the air and lay “lifeless” in the road last October in Wallasey, Merseyside.
Williams had been spotted by an unmarked police car in the stolen Mitsubishi after burgling a shop with a male accomplice.
The 4x4 was doing 70mph in the 30mph zone when it mounted the central reservation and accelerated towards PC Phillips.
Prosecutor Ian Unsworth QC said: “Once the truck was a very short distance from the officer, the defendant turned it sharply to the left.
“It was, you may think, a cowardly and merciless act. PC Phillips’ fate was sealed. The defendant used the truck as a weapon and he used it to murder PC Phillips.” The jury saw dramatic footage of the stolen truck hitting PC Phillips who was crouching but looked up just in time to see it.
Sergeant Martin Mayne was heard on his dashboard commentary to say: “Officer down, officer down!”
The footage showed PC Thomas Birkett run towards his stricken colleague but Williams then drove at him, causing the officer to jump out of the way as the vehicle sped past.
The court heard Williams gave three statements where his version of events changed – with one claiming PC Phillips ran to his vehicle.
Mr Unsworth said: “Despite the defendant’s varying accounts, he chose to drive toward PC Phillips.
“PC Phillips had little choice – he stood not much of a chance.”
Cannabis- user Williams, of Wallasey, admits burglary and aggravated vehicle taking.
But he denies murder, saying he did not intend to injure or kill the officer.
The trial continues at Manchester Crown Court.