Seven police officers are to face trial charged in connection with the death of a 21-year-old man in west Belfast.
Mr Deryck Rothwell and Mr Stephen Thompson are charged with causing Mr Raymond Boyle's death by dangerous driving almost two years ago.
The two men and five fellow officers Mr Robert Hall, Mr John Hadley, Mr Richard Seve, Mr James Long and Mr Alan Calvin are also charged with attempting to pervert the course of justice by giving detectives investigating the death false statements.
The charges arise from an incident when an RUC Land Rover collided with a stolen car on the Whiterock Road in west Belfast on May 1st, 2001.
Mr Boyle, of the Falls Road, the eldest of four siblings, was a front seat passenger in the stolen Metro car and died of his injuries in hospital. The driver of the car and three other passengers were taken to hospital, as well as three police officers.
The charges are the result of an investigation by the Police Ombudsman.
A defence lawyer told Belfast Magistrates Court today that the officers had denied the charges from the beginning and would continue to contest them. He said the officers had dedicated their lives to upholding the law and found the charges abhorrent.
"All of the accused have committed themselves to the preservation of life," he said. "They have denied these charges from the beginning and these charges will be contested as vigorously as they can be."
All seven officers are accused of making a false statement with intent to pervert the course of justice. They are alleged to have falsely claimed that the stolen car came around a corner on the wrong side of the road and the police Land Rover had to swerve across to the opposite side of the road to avoid a head-on collision.
The defendants each replied "No" in court today when asked if they had any reply to make to the charges.
They were released on their own bail of £500 each to appear for trial at Belfast Crown Court on a date yet to be fixed.