Teen driver ‘feels disgraceful’ for killing policeman
Defendant tells jury that he couldn’t sleep after hearing of Pc Harper’s death
A TEENAGE driver who dragged Pc Andrew Harper to his death has told jurors he feels “disgraceful” about what happened.
Henry Long, 19, from Mortimer, was allegedly trying to evade arrest after attempting to steal a £10,000 quad bike from a house in Stanford Dingley, on the evening of August 15 last year.
Pc Harper, 28, had got out of his patrol car to chase after a suspect when his ankles got entangled in a tow strap attached to Long’s Seat Toledo.
He was pulled along winding country lanes for more than a mile before he became disentangled, having suffered catastrophic injuries.
Within hours of Pc Harper’s death, Long and his two passengers, Albert Bowers and Jessie Cole, both 18, were arrested.
Giving evidence at the Old Bailey on Tuesday, Long said he felt “disgraceful” about what happened.
He admitted killing Pc Harper but denied meaning to harm him saying: “If I was aware I would have stopped the vehicle, tried to save him.”
On the afternoon of August 15 last year, Long was looking “for stuff to steal” when he came across a quad bike in Stanford Dingley.
After failing in a first attempt, he returned under cover of darkness with 18-year-olds Jessie Cole and Albert Bowers, the court heard.
Having rolled the bike away, Cole steered it as Long towed it behind the Seat, jurors heard.
Confronted in Admoor Lane, Beenham, by Pc Harper’s police patrol car, Cole got out to unhook the bike.
Long told jurors: “I would not leave anybody behind so I waited for him.
“I was about to leave him behind because I could not see him or hear him, then he jumped in the window.”
Defence barrister Rossano Scamardella QC said: “Were you aware that Pc Harper had got caught in the rope at the back?”
Long said: “No”
Describing the getaway, he said: “The car was always in gear rolling.
“Once Cole jumped in, I just revved the throttle and went.”
Long told jurors he drove fast, even on tight corners.
Asked why, he said: “Because I have had experience with police chases before.
“I knew where the police were going to be waiting for us.”
Long’s passengers were shouting to “go this way, go that way, slow down”, the defendant said.
He added: “Everyone talking at each other saying this and that. I got annoyed because I’m trying to concentrate on getting away and people telling me how to drive, telling me what to do.
“I told them to shut the f*** up, let me drive, put the music on.”
Mr Scamardella asked: “Could you hear anything during that stretch of the journey being dragged behind you?” The defendant denied it.
After crossing the A4 without stopping, he spotted blue lights and “floored it”, he said.
En route to the Four Houses Corner caravan site, Long managed to lose the pursuit.
Long told jurors he could not sleep and thought about Pc Harper’s family and how they felt.
But under cross-examination, Jonathan Laidlaw QC suggested Long knew how Pc Harper died and immediately set about making up a false alibi that he had been watching a Fast And Furious film with relatives at the travellers’ site.
Long said he had lied in his first police interview because he was “scared”.
Mr Laidlaw said: “Can I suggest that does not make any sense at all?
“I’m going to suggest you knew perfectly well the first thing they would do would be to go to Four Houses Corner caravan site and ask your aunt and uncle if it was true.
“Immediately you got back to the site, shortly after Andrew Harper had died, you had begun to prepare a false alibi.”
Long denied this.
The prosecutor went on: “Of all things you were going to pretend you had watched, what was it you said? It was Fast And Furious.
“That was involving what? Illegal car chases and racing?”
The defendant replied: “That’s correct.”
Mr Laidlaw continued: “You knew perfectly well at the time you said that fake alibi how Pc Harper met his death.
“I’m going to suggest you were quickly hard at work on your return to put together the alibi to seek the support of your aunt and your cousin.”
The lawyer added: “The truth is you were not thinking about anybody but yourself.
“You knew perfectly well you dragged Pc Harper to his death.
“You had set out to tough this out.”
Long replied: “That’s not correct.”
Mr Laidlaw went on: “The truth, I suggest, Mr Long, is you did not and don’t care at all really about Pc Harper and what has happened to him.
“The only person you care about is yourself.”
“Not true,” Long replied. Long told jurors he lived with his parents and five siblings and was part of the travelling community.
Like his father and grandfather, he was a “thief”, he said, stealing quad bikes and mechanical equipment.
On his father and grandfather’s occupation, he said: “It’s not a proud thing to admit.”
Long had been taken out of school by his father in Year 8 after being given a detention, the court heard.
Long has admitted Pc Harper’s manslaughter and conspiracy to steal a quad bike, but denies murder.
His passengers Jessie Cole and Albert Bowers, both 18, from Mortimer and Aldermaston respectively, admit conspiracy to steal but deny murder.