Two Jailed For Manslaughter Of PC Neil Doyle
Two men have been jailed for the manslaughter of an off duty police officer in Liverpool
Newly-married PC Neil Doyle, 36, was killed on the streets that he "lived to protect'' by Andrew Taylor, 29, and Timmy Donovan, 30.
The pair were both found guilty of the manslaughter of the officer by joint enterprise by a unanimous jury after a six week trial.
Mr Justice Mark Turner sentenced Taylor to seven years and six months in prison and Donovan six years and 10 months.
Liverpool Crown Court previously heard that Pc Doyle had been out with his Eaton Road colleagues when he was fatally struck after they were set upon by the defendants.
Pc Doyle was left dying in a Liverpool city centre gutter during the early hours of December 19 2014, after being punched twice before staggering across the street. Neither defendant admitted throwing the fatal punch which ruptured his vertebral artery and led to bleeding on the brain.
During the trial the court heard was told that Taylor, had "baited'' Pc Doyle for a fight after coming across him and his colleagues Pc Robert Marshall and Pc Michael Steventon as they made their way to a bar.
There were tears in court as the victim impact statement from Neil's wife Sarah was read out in court.
She said "My last words to him were: ' love you stay safe, ring when you want me to come and pick you up"
"I'm still waiting for that call"
"Since that night I feel like my whole world has been torn apart. i feel numb, emotionless, lost, like I'm on the outside looking in"