Former Chester City FC player Stephen Vaughan jnr will stand trial next year accused of helping one of PC Neil Doyle’s killers flee the country.

Vaughan, of Tower Way, Woolton, is alleged to have provided Timmy Donovan with his Mercedes A180 car in which the suspect escaped to Germany in following the policeman’s death.

He appeared at Liverpool Crown Court on Friday where he denied assisting an offender on December 19 last year.

The 30-year-old also pleaded not guilty to a charge of perverting the course of justice.

It is alleged that Vaughan gave police the wrong vehicle registration number when officers enquired about his car three days later on December 22.

Henry Riding, prosecuting, said a trial had been set for the week commencing February 29 next year.

Judge Robert Warnock remanded Vaughan on conditional bail.

Licenced boxing promoter Vaughan – a former footballer once on the books at Liverpool FC and who went on to captain Chester City FC – is the son of Liverpool businessman Stephen Vaughan snr.

PC Doyle, 36, was killed during a confrontation with football agent Andrew Taylor, 29, and sports event manager Timmy Donovan, 30, on a Christmas night out in Liverpool.

The off-duty policeman died after he was struck in Colquitt Street in the early hours of Friday, December 19.

Taylor, of Cherry Tree Road in Huyton, and Donovan, of Walsingham Road in Childwall, were jailed for a total of 14 years after being found guilty of manslaughter.

Both were also found guilty of the wounding with intent of the newly-wed officer’s colleague, PC Robert Marshall, and Taylor was found guilty of grievous bodily harm with intent in relation to PC Michael Steventon.

Taylor was jailed for seven years and six months, while Donovan was sentenced to six years and 10 months.

PC Doyle died from an injury to a neck artery. Neither defendant admitted landing the fatal blow and they were convicted under the ‘joint enterprise’ law.