Former footballer jailed for helping one of killers of PC Neil Doyle
A former footballer who helped one of the killers of off-duty police officer Neil Doyle, who was attacked during a night out in Liverpool, escape justice for three months has been jailed.
A former footballer who helped one of the killers of off-duty police officer Neil Doyle, who was attacked during a night out in Liverpool, escape justice for three months has been jailed.
Stephen James Vaughan, aged 31, from Woodville Road, Liverpool allowed Timothy Donovan to use his Mercedes which Donovan then fled the UK in following PC Doyle's death on December 19th, 2014.
Vaughan in turn drove Donovan's Audi which he was stopped in by police in Sefton Street, Liverpool five days after the fatal assault and was found to be driving without insurance.
An European Arrest Warrant was issued against Donovan after the police investigation established he had fled the country and on January 21, 2015 the 30-year-old from Huyton was arrested as he tried to board a plane back to the UK at Dusseldorf airport.
Donovan was later found guilty by a jury of the manslaughter of PC Doyle.
Following today's sentencing of Vaughan to 15 months in prison following guilty pleas, Detective Chief Inspector Neil Shaw from Matrix Serious Organised Crime unit said:
"Stephen Vaughan was arrested five days after the death of off-duty police constable Neil Doyle having helped a suspect in the fatal assault evade justice.
“Vaughan provided a car to Timmy Donovan who then used it to flee the UK and hide in Germany for a month before we caught up with him having issued a European Arrest Warrant.
“Vaughan’s sentencing for perverting the course of justice shows the consequences that people face if they help someone who they know has been involved in a serious crime. It should serve as a warning to those who are tempted to do a similar thing rather than encourage them to do the right thing and give themselves up.”