Teenagers found guilty of killing PC Andrew Harper

Three teenagers have been found guilty of the manslaughter of PC Andrew Harper, who died after being dragged along a road by a car in Berkshire in August 2019.

Henry Long, 19, the driver, and his passengers Jessie Cole and Albert Bowers, both 18, were found not guilty of murder at the Old Bailey .

The defendants were prevented from being in court to hear the jury’s verdicts after problems with a prison van, but instead listened via video link from Belmarsh prison in London. The three hugged and held each other’s hands when they were cleared of murder, but Bowers cried out when he learned he had been convicted of manslaughter.

Following the verdicts both Long and Cole became distressed, with Long apparently in tears and having to be comforted by his co-defendants. Bowers, however, could be seen smiling and patting the other two in an attempt to cheer them up. Mr Justice Edis adjourned sentencing until next Friday.

The jury heard that Harper, 28, was killed on 15 August 2019 after he tried to catch Long and his accomplices after they stole a quad bike.

Harper, 28, became entangled in a tow rope attached to the teenagers’ Seat Toledo as he tried to apprehend them.

Long drove off at “breakneck” speed, dragging the Thames Valley police officer for more than a mile along country lanes before he was dislodged, having suffered horrific injuries.

The teenagers, who the court was told were determined to escape “at all costs”, admitted plotting the theft. Long pleaded guilty to manslaughter but each denied knowing Harper was there. Their defence claimed the incident was a “freak event” that none of them could have planned or foreseen.

The prosecution said at more than 6ft and weighing 14 stone, the defendants must have been aware Harper was being dragged to his death.

A reconstruction suggested that rather than stopping, Long swerved in the road to try to throw him off. Jurors also saw dashcam footage that appeared to catch the moment Cole turned towards the officer before diving through the window of the getaway car and making his escape.

Harper’s widow, Lissie, was comforted by family members in court as the verdicts were read out. The pair had been together 13 years, had recently married and were planning to visit the Maldives on honeymoon. At his funeral service she described her husband as “a gentle giant with a heart of gold”.

It can now be reported that Long had previously threatened to “ram” a police officer as he chatted with a police community support officer (PCSO).

In the conversation in July 2018, ruled inadmissible during the trial, Long said: “You can’t touch me now ‘cos I’ve passed my driving test and if police try to stop me I will ram them.”

Jaswant Kaur Narwal, the chief crown prosecutor for Thames and Chiltern, said Harper was killed trying to stop suspects determined to get away with their crime. “This is a truly heart-breaking case in which a young police officer with everything to look forward to tragically lost his life in the line of duty,” she said.

“It has been an emotional trial, and evidentially challenging, but I am pleased the jury has found all three culpable for PC Harper’s death. My thoughts remain with all of his family and his colleagues at Thames Valley police.”

Det Supt Stuart Blaik. who led the hunt for Harper’s killers, said the three men had shown no remorse during the investigation, while their friends and relatives sought to frustrate it.

Speaking after the verdict he said: “No matter what the verdicts, there would have been no sense of victory. It was always going to be an immense challenge to bring this case to court, and in doing so was an achievement in itself.

He thanked the hundreds of colleagues who had “worked diligently to discover the truth” and paid tribute to Harper’s family.

The senior crown prosecutor, Rebecca Waller, said the verdicts marked the end of an “extremely difficult trial” for Harper’s family, friends and colleagues. She paid tribute to the officer’s loved ones who had shown “great strength, courage and integrity”. She added: “We are really pleased to say that the three people responsible for PC Andrew Harper’s death have been convicted.

“Thames Valley police, the wider policing family, and the country as a whole is proud of PC Harper for his dedicated service to protect the public, which ultimately cost him his life. We are all honoured to have called him our colleague. He will always be remembered.”