The police officer accused of killing Ian Tomlinson at the G20 protests has appeared in court to be told he will stand trial at the Old Bailey in October.

PC Simon Harwood, 44, stood in the dock for a two-minute hearing at City of Westminster magistrates court in London on Monday charged with manslaughter.

Tomlinson, a 47-year-old newspaper seller, collapsed and died at the demonstration near the Bank of England on 1 April 2009, moments after being struck with a baton and pushed to the ground by Harwood.

The director of public prosecutions, Keir Starmer QC, decided not to bring criminal proceedings against the officer last year because of complications with medical evidence. However, the decision was reversed last month after an inquest jury concluded Tomlinson was unlawfully killed while trying to walk home from work.

Harwood, a father of two, arrived at the court with his wife, Helen. He was wearing a grey tie, black suit and had his right arm in a sling. Once he was inside the dock and behind a glass screen, the court officer announced: "It is said on April 1 2009 you unlawfully killed Ian Tomlinson."

District judge Howard Riddle told the officer: "Your case is sent for trial at the central criminal court." Harwood spoke only to confirm his age, name and address and was bailed to reappear at the Old Bailey for a plea and case management hearing on 17 October.

Tomlinson's wife, Julia, was in the public gallery, with five of their nine children and the family solicitor, Jules Carey.

The Independent Police Complaints Commission launched an investigation into Tomlinson's death on 8 April 2009, after the Guardian published video footage of his encounter with the officer.

Announcing his decision to prosecute last month, Starmer said in a statement posted on the website of the Crown Prosecution Service that new medical evidence presented at the inquest had changed the case. "The difficulties that would now confront any prosecution have changed in nature and scale from last year when a decision was taken not to prosecute, although it is clear that real difficulties remain," he said.

"Taking the evidence as it now stands, we have concluded that, even with those remaining difficulties, there is now sufficient evidence to provide a realistic prospect of successfully prosecuting PC Simon Harwood for the manslaughter of Mr Tomlinson. That being the case, it is clearly in the public interest that criminal proceedings be brought."