PC Andrew Harper murder accused told police he was watching Fast and Furious at time of killing, court hears

PC Andrew Harper was killed in August last year
Kit Heren11 March 2020
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A teenager accused of murdering PC Andrew Harper, who was dragged to his death by a car moving at speed, told police he was watching Fast and Furious at the time of the killing, a court heard.

Henry Long, 18, from Mortimer, Reading, was behind the wheel of a car that threw PC Harper around “like a ragdoll” for more than mile, the Old Bailey heard on Wednesday.

The jury heard when police arrested Long the next day in connection with the murder, he told them he had been in a caravan watching DVDs with his family at the time of PC Harper's death.

The teenager asked the arresting officers: "Do I look like a murderer?", the court heard.

In his police interview, Long said: "We watched DVDs. One was Goonies, Fast And Furious.

"I went (to) bed I think around 10.30pm. Police woke me up. I had been outside just for a cigarette but otherwise had not left."

When he was charged, Long said: “I don’t give a f*** about any of this”, the court heard.

Court sketch of defendant Henry Long
Elizabeth Cook/PA

PC Harper, 28, became entangled by the feet in a towing strap as he tried to prevent the theft of a quad bike, suffering “unsurviveable” injuries on August 15 last year.

Jurors heard how eyewitness Jack Whittenham “slammed on his brakes” when he saw the vehicle cross the A4 with PC Harper’s body still attached to the back.

Prosecutor Brian Altman QC told the court: “Mr Whittenham saw that the rope had a body attached to it. He thought the rope was wrapped a couple of times around both feet of the body, which was being dragged along by the vehicle.

“It was Mr Whittenham who thought it was a bloodied deer attached to the car, but he quickly realised it was someone trapped by both ankles with arms flailing around, as he described it, like a ragdoll, being dragged around the road.”

Another witness, Robert Cave-Debuse, was walking his dog when he heard the sound of screeching tyres, and said he “could hear the sound of something hitting the hedgerow”, said Mr Altman.

PC Harper’s colleague, PC Andrew Shaw, witnessed the moment the young officer was caught up in the rope as they tried to thwart the theft of the quad bike from a home near the village of Sulhamstead in Berkshire in August last year.

“(He) compared it to his experience of water skiing”, said the prosecutor. “When you lose your footing, your feet are almost whipped forward and you land on your back.”

"Ride of Respect" in memory of PC Andrew Harper in 2019
PA

Jurors heard that PC Harper would have been knocked "deeply unconscious" by his injuries as soon as he hit the ground.

Mr Altman added that investigators have worked out that Long would have known that something "of significant weight" was attached to the back of the car.

He said that the way Long was driving - "steering vigorously from side to side" - made it clear that the teenager was trying to dislodge something from the back of the car.

Long and two 17-year-olds all deny murdering the Thames Valley police officer. Long has admitted manslaughter, and all three have pleaded guilty to conspiracy to steal.

The trial continues.

Additional reporting by PA Media

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