The Old Bailey trial heard Henry Long, 19, drove at an average speed of 42.5mph along the Admoor Lane in Berkshire, near Reading, on the evening of August 15 last year, in such a fashion that the stricken officer was "swung side-to-side like a pendulum in an effort to dislodge him". Sign up for exclusive newsletters, comment on stories, enter competitions and attend events. The trial is abandoned due to the coronavirus pandemic. 'The fact that neither Long nor the other two defendants had planned for or even wanted PC Harper to become caught in the strap is neither here nor there. "So proud of him. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. The second day of the Old Bailey trial heard PC Andrew Harper's colleague found him 'barely alive' after he had been dragged behind a car with an eyewitness at first thinking the suspects were towing a deer carcass. Henry Long, 18, is on trial for his murder. Bowers was in the car as a passenger when PC Harper was killed. 'We say that the defendants had gone to Privett House prepared to use serious violence amounting to really serious bodily harm, if the need arose, to effect their plan to steal the quad bike from premises which were occupied and to make good their escape. "He did not recall seeing any shoes on the body but thought there were dark coloured trousers. "But he did not see what his car had struck. Long has admitted manslaughter. With his ankles caught in a strap that was trailing behind a car being driven at speed along a country lane, he was dragged for over a mile along the road surface, swung from side to side like a pendulum in an effort to dislodge him. 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Timeline of the PC Andrew Harper case August 15 2019, 4.50pm Henry Long, Albert Bowers, Jessie Cole and Thomas King arrive at the home of Peter Wallis in Bradfield Southend, Berkshire, to steal . They avoided murder charges and were instead convicted on manslaughter, pushing widow Lissie Harper to fight for Harper's Law. This has been impossible for us to get our heads around. Mr Campbell said Pc Harper was a "highly regarded, popular member of the team", adding: "Everybody I've spoken to about Andrew talked about the incredible personality he was, what a fantastic police officer, and what a great friend and man he was, and he'll be sorely missed by everybody. 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A pathologist's report found PC Harper suffered "a very severe injury to the brain" which is "likely to have rendered him unconscious" after his head struck the ground. 'There was a constant stretch of a crimson blood red track that was clearly still wet and glistening in the light of their headlights,' Mr Altman said. Henry Long, 18, and two 17-year-old boys have denied murder but admitted conspiracy to steal a quad bike. This means that we may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. Pc Andrew Harper was responding to a reported burglary in Sulhamstead, west Berkshire, on Thursday when he was "caught between a vehicle and the road and then dragged for a distance.". We also may change the frequency you receive our emails from us in order to keep you up to date and give you the best relevant information possible. 'He must have communicated to the others that he had just escaped a policeman in uniform. 2023 BBC. PC Andy Kemp, who responded to the quad bike theft report, told the jury he saw a car come "straight through the junction" of Lambdens Hill with the A4. PC Andrew Harper was newly married when he died, PC Andrew Harper with his father-in-law Simon. The three defendants were arrested later at a nearby travellers' site. A group of officers could be seen gathered around floral tributes reading messages to their fallen colleague. Prosecutor Jonathan Polnay read a statement by Thames Valley Police firearms officer Nick Kluger, who said he felt "an immense sense of dread and an urgency" when he heard an officer was down. PC Andrew Harper was responding to a report of a quad bike theft in Berkshire A police officer who was dragged behind a car sustained such severe injuries one of his colleagues "could not. "It was a senseless killing of a young police officer in the line of duty, a young man who was doing no more than his job.". Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. Thomas King, 21, of Lane End, Bramley, Hants, earlier admitted conspiring to steal the same quad bike belonging to Peter Wallace and will be sentenced on a date to be fixed. When PC Harper was found lying in the road, he was breathing but the pattern was reflexive and 'was that of a deeply unconscious individual'. PC Harper was dragged for about a mile and after he became detached from the vehicle in a country lane near Sulhamstead, Berkshire, several officers tried to save him. A jury convicted Vale on December 6 and sentenced him to 82 years in prison. "He heard a bang, and he thought he might have screamed due to the shock of what he had just seen. Ten males aged between 13 and 30 have been. Mr Laidlaw said the thieves were determined to take the vehicle "whatever the cost", having been disturbed earlier in the day. Long then sped off from the scene, but in the act of chasing Cole, PC Harper "unwittingly stepped, with both feet, into the loop made on the road surface by the trailing strap". The court has heard how PC Harper responded to a report of a stolen quad bike, when a strap trailing behind a Seat Toledo got "lassoed" around his ankles as it accelerated away. They also deny manslaughter. 11.28pm: The officers get a first glimpse of the Seat headlights approaching their car in Admoor Lane. "The cause of death is consistent with our current belief that Andrew was caught between a vehicle and the road and then dragged for a distance. Something went wrong, please try again later. He recalled both being very quiet and calm and neither appeared particularly shocked or surprised by what was being said.'. The prosecution argue that the three defendants knew PC Harper was being dragged behind them and that Long drove in a manner that suggests he was trying to dislodge the police officer, while Cole and Bower "actively encouraged" him. "With his ankles caught in a strap that was trailing behind a car being driven at speed along a country lane, he was dragged for over a mile along the road surface, swung from side to side like a pendulum in an effort to dislodge him, losing items of his police uniform along the way, with the rest of his uniform being quite literally ripped and stripped from his body. Several members of PC Harper's family were in court as the prosecution case opened. The vehicle was described in audio as being 'very, very, hot', with people standing nearby. Mr Altman told the jury: 'You will recall that he accepts his guilt of manslaughter but on the basis that he did not know that PC Harper was attached to the car and being dragged along the road by him, which the prosecution do not accept. 679215 Registered office: 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF. He now admits he was the getaway driver but had no idea the officer was snared behind the car in the sling. Meanwhile, Long heads towards Ufton Court but gets stuck behind a wedding coach and turns back, forcing PC Bushnell to take evasive action to avoid a head-on collision, the court is told. "PC Harper was completely naked at that point, save for his boots and socks. Read about our approach to external linking. Opening the case, prosecutor Brian Altman QC told the jury: "Andrew Harper, a serving police constable of Thames Valley Police, was killed in truly shocking circumstances. Mr Laidlaw said: "Going beyond the call of duty, as it were, would cost Andrew Harper his life.". It was a decision that was to cost Andrew Harper his life.". he post-mortem of a newlywed policeman who was killed while investigating a burglary has found he died of multiple injuries, as officers were given an extra 36 hours to question suspects. The three defendants were later arrested at a traveller caravan site before a police investigation concluded that it was the three defendants involved in the theft and subsequent death of PC Harper that night. Three teenagers have been convicted of killing Pc Andrew Harper as they evaded arrest. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. The bike had been wheeled away and fixed to the car boot with a crane strap which was wound around the handlebars. Get email updates with the day's biggest stories. PC Andrew Harper was responding to a report of a quad bike theft in Berkshire, Henry Long (left) and two 17-year-old defendants - who cannot be identified due to their age - are in the dock at the Old Bailey. It means Long has driven at an average speed of 42.5mph, the court is told. PC Harper attended a suspected burglary with a colleague in a marked car at 11.30pm on Thursday, August 15, 2019. Mr Laidlaw QC added: "The snaking trail of marks, abrasion and scuff marks, blood and body matter left behind on the road surface by this course of driving, as well as the clothing that was ripped from PC Harper as he was dragged to his death, illustrates that a deliberate attempt was made to dislodge him from the strap.". It was a senseless killing of a young police officer in the line of duty; a young man who was doing no more than his job.". 'To his right he saw out of the corner of his eye something moving and tumbling in the road. Karanka has previously shown a preference to naming a settled side, an approach which could lead to the same Birmingham XI this weekend. Get email updates with the day's biggest stories. 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