PC Neil Doyle: Pair in court accused of murdering off-duty officer
Two men have appeared in court accused of murdering an off-duty policeman on a Christmas night out.
PC Neil Doyle, 36, was attacked near the Aloha Club in Liverpool on 19 December.
Andrew Taylor, 28, of Cherry Tree Road, Huyton and Christopher Spendlove, 30, of Brandearth Hey, Stockbridge Village appeared via videolink from prison at Liverpool Crown Court.
They will next appear in court on 20 March for a plea hearing.
A provisional trial date has been set for 22 June.
PC Doyle was out with two other off-duty officers, Michael Steventon and Robert Marshall, when the attack happened on Colquitt Street at around 03:15 GMT.
His colleagues were treated in hospital for facial injuries.
Both defendants also face charges of causing grievous bodily harm with intent to those two officers.