TWO police officers involved in the Soham murder enquiry who have been charged with downloading child porn off the internet were today remanded in custody.

By Victoria Knowles

TWO police officers involved in the Soham murder enquiry who have been charged with downloading child porn off the internet were today remanded in custody.

Detective constable Brian Stevens, 41, and Pc Antony Goodridge, 34, appeared at Bury St Edmunds Magistrates Court to face the three charges and four charges respectively of downloading indecent pseudo images of children.

In a dramatic twist to proceedings chairwoman of the bench, Jane Palmer, granted the pair conditional bail.

But a last minute appeal by the Crown Prosecution Service means they will now be held on remand over the weekend.

They arrived at court handcuffed to be faced by a swarm of journalists and photographers who circled the prison van outside the court.

Both men, who have been suspended from their jobs in the Cambridgeshire force, were shrouded in blankets as they entered the court building flanked by other police officers.

Father-of-two Goodridge appeared unsteady as he stumbled down the stairs and in to the courts.

Once in the court Goodridge fought back tears while Stevens' expression remained blank.

Both men only spoke to confirm their names and addresses. Neither entered a plea.

The appeal is due to be heard on Monday morning at either Bury St Edmunds Crown Court or Ipswich Crown Court.

Both officers played an important and high profile role in the Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman murder enquiry. Stevens had been a family liaison officer and had been asked to read a poem out at the televised memorial service for the girls held at Ely Cathedral.