Jury in PC Harper murder trial visit key locations

010720-Jury in Pc Harper murder trial visit key locations in Berkshire-BBC Pool Footage
They were wearing face masks and had been told to social distance during the visit. Credit: Pool Footage

Jurors in the murder trial of Pc Andrew Harper have been in Berkshire where they were taken to key locations in the lead up to the Thames Valley Police officer's death.

The 28-year-old was killed while attending reports of a burglary in Sulhamstead on 15th August 2019.

19-year-old Henry Long, and 18-year-olds Albert Bowers and Jessie Cole are on trial for his murder.

Pc Andrew Harper died in August 2019

The 12 men and women on the jury were brought by bus from the Old Bailey in London on Wednesday morning.

They were wearing face masks and had been told to social distance during the visit.

They were taken to the house where the three defendants admit to stealing a quad bike.

The quad bike had been put back in the driveway exactly as had been on the night.

The jury's coaches then followed the route the defendants took when making their escape from the scene of the burglary.

They were then taken to the location of the confrontation between the defendants battered gold SEAT and the unmarked BMW that Pc Harper and his colleague were in.

At this point the judge, Mr Justice Edis told jurors: "The vehicles have been put in similar positions to the position they would have been in during part of the incident" that night.

The jury have previously heard in the trial how PC Harper died after his feet became entangled in a loop that was trailing from the defendants car when it drove off.

A tow-loop, that was hanging from the back of the defendants' SEAT car, had been placed back as it would have been that evening.

On Wednesday (1st July) jurors were able to put on gloves to examine the reconstruction of the scene.

They were then brought to the junction of Lambdens Hill and the A4 Bath Road, where Pc Harper was found.Henry Long, who was driving the SEAT car, has admitted manslaughter but denies murder.

Albert Bowers and Jessie Cole also deny murder.

The trial continues at the Old Bailey, which is set to last several more weeks.