Andrew Harper: Policeman died after being dragged behind car for a mile, court told
PC Andrew Harper suffered "absolutely catastrophic, un-survivable injuries", a jury at the Old Bailey heard.
Tuesday 10 March 2020 18:52, UK
A police officer died in "truly shocking circumstances" after being dragged for more than a mile behind a car driven by suspected thieves, a court has heard.
PC Andrew Harper, 28, died from multiple injuries after responding to the reported theft of a quad bike from a home near the village of Sulhamstead in Berkshire in August.
Henry Long, 18, from Mortimer, Reading, and two 17-year-olds, who cannot be named for legal reasons, deny murdering the Thames Valley Police officer.
Prosecutor Brian Altman QC told jurors at the Old Bailey how PC Harper came to be dragged along after getting his feet tangled in the device used to steal the bike.
He added: "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."
PC Harper lost parts of his uniform along the way as it was "quite literally ripped and stripped from his body".
The prosecutor added: "When, at last, he became disentangled, he was left with the most awful injuries, from which he died there on the road, surrounded by colleagues who tried in vain to save him.
"This was a completely senseless killing of a young police officer in the line of duty."
Long has admitted manslaughter, which the younger boys deny, and all three have pleaded guilty to conspiracy to steal a quad bike.
PC Harper and his partner PC Andrew Shaw responded to the call about a suspected quad bike theft at 11.17pm on 15 August, despite their shift having ended at 7pm.
The pair, driving an unmarked police BMW fitted with emergency lights, passed a Seat Toledo driven by the alleged thieves on Lambdens Hill, a country lane.
The court heard that Long was driving, one of the teenagers was allegedly next to him in the passenger seat, and the other was riding the quad bike, which was being towed by means of a boot lid hinge with a crane strap that formed a loop.
The quad bike rider disconnected the strap, and as PC Harper tried to stop him from jumping through the Seat's rear passenger window, the officer's feet became tangled in the crane strap, and he was dragged along as Long drove off.
The court heard that Long drove at an average speed of 42.5mph, allegedly leaving a snaking trail of tyre marks, blood and clothing as he swerved across the country lane.
PC Harper was barely alive when he was found by his crew mate, and had suffered "absolutely catastrophic, un-survivable injuries", the court heard.
The case was adjourned until Wednesday.