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PC Neil Doyle killing: Two men guilty of manslaughter PC Neil Doyle killing: Two men guilty of manslaughter
(35 minutes later)
Two men have been found guilty of killing an off-duty policeman in an attack during a night out in Liverpool.Two men have been found guilty of killing an off-duty policeman in an attack during a night out in Liverpool.
PC Neil Doyle, 36, died after he was struck with a "pile driver" punch in the early hours of 19 December last year.PC Neil Doyle, 36, died after he was struck with a "pile driver" punch in the early hours of 19 December last year.
Andrew Taylor, 29, and Timmy Donovan, 30, of Huyton were convicted of manslaughter at Liverpool Crown Court.Andrew Taylor, 29, and Timmy Donovan, 30, of Huyton were convicted of manslaughter at Liverpool Crown Court.
A third man, Christopher Spendlove, was cleared of manslaughter.A third man, Christopher Spendlove, was cleared of manslaughter.
All three were cleared of murder after a five-week trial.
PC Doyle had been out drinking with fellow Merseyside officers Michael Steventon and Robert Marshall when the two groups of men met in the city's Seel Street just before 03:00.PC Doyle had been out drinking with fellow Merseyside officers Michael Steventon and Robert Marshall when the two groups of men met in the city's Seel Street just before 03:00.
Prosecutors said the defendants were "determined to get into involved in a physical confrontation".Prosecutors said the defendants were "determined to get into involved in a physical confrontation".
Taylor and Donovan were both found guilty of wounding with intent for an attack on PC Marshall.Taylor and Donovan were both found guilty of wounding with intent for an attack on PC Marshall.
Taylor was also convicted of GBH in relation to an attack on PC Steventon.Taylor was also convicted of GBH in relation to an attack on PC Steventon.
Mr Spendlove was cleared of all charges.Mr Spendlove was cleared of all charges.
During the five-week trial, jurors heard how the punch that struck PC Doyle left him staggering across the road before ending up in a gutter. During the trial, jurors heard the punch that struck PC Doyle left him staggering across the road before ending up in a gutter.
He died after suffering an injury to an artery in his neck, which led to bleeding over the surface of the brain.He died after suffering an injury to an artery in his neck, which led to bleeding over the surface of the brain.
It was the same injury that killed Australian cricketer Philip Hughes, the trial heard.It was the same injury that killed Australian cricketer Philip Hughes, the trial heard.
The two groups of men - who were not known to each other - presented very different versions of events during the trial.
At one stage, the officers were accused of maintaining a "conspiracy of silence", with barristers suggesting everyone involved had "piled in".
But PC Steventon denied this, and said the officers were made to feel "intimidated" after PC Doyle was "goaded" with the words "evening officer".
Taylor, a former professional footballer who earns £40,000 per year as a football agent, claimed the words were used as "a term of endearment".
He said PC Doyle became annoyed and had to be physically restrained.
Initially, Taylor told officers he had struck PC Doyle in self defence, but later denied it and said he had been mistaken.
However, he admitted hitting PC Doyle's two colleagues.
Donovan, who was extradited from Germany following the death, also denied punching PC Doyle, but admitted hitting the other two officers after it "all broke out very quick".
He accepted that he struck PC Marshall with "excessive force" before going back and stamping on him.
But he claimed it was Taylor who had "knocked out" PC Doyle.
Spendlove, a former football coach in the US, claimed he had been an innocent bystander and had not joined in the fighting.
Taylor and Donovan will be sentenced in September.