A BRAVE young police officer was killed 'in the line of duty' in 'truly shocking circumstances' as he attempted to stop three teenagers from stealing a quad bike, a trial has heard.

PC Andrew Harper was responding to a reported theft four hours past the end of his shift when his ankles got caught in a tow rope attached to the suspects' getaway car.

He was dragged for more than a mile of winding country road with his uniform gradually stripped from his body.

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Such were the extent of PC Harper's injuries that an eyewitness said he thought the suspects were towing a deer carcass behind their vehicle.

The 28-year-old policeman had become dislodged by the time his colleague, PC Andrew Shaw, came across him 'barely alive'. PC Harper died at the scene a short time later.

The Old Bailey trial heard Henry Long, 19, drove at an average speed of 42.5mph along the Admoor Lane in Berkshire, near Reading, on the evening of August 15 last year, in such a fashion that the stricken officer was 'swung side-to-side like a pendulum in an effort to dislodge him'.

Witney Gazette:

Court artist sketch of the accused

Prosecutor Jonathan Laidlaw QC said: "During the course of that high-speed journey, and until at last he became disentangled, his police uniform was quite literally ripped and stripped from his body.

"Almost naked by this point, PC Harper was left as you can imagine with the most appalling of injuries, from which he died there on the road.

"It was a senseless killing of a young police officer in the line of duty, a young man who was doing no more than his job."

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Long has admitted the manslaughter of the Abingdon-based police officer, who lived in Wallingford, but has denied intending to kill him.

He is on trial for murder, along with Jessie Cole and Albert Bowers, both 18, who were his passengers.

Cole, from Aldermaston, and Bowers and Long, both from Mortimer, Reading, have admitted conspiring to steal the quad bike.

Jurors were told they had been trying to escape police, having been caught in the act of stealing the bike from Bradfield Southend at 11.17pm.

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Mr Laidlaw said the thieves were determined to take the vehicle 'whatever the cost', having been disturbed earlier in the day.

PC Harper and his crewmate responded to the reported theft despite it being well beyond the end of their shift. Mr Laidlaw said: "Going beyond the call of duty, as it were, would cost Andrew Harper his life."

Jurors have been told the case is being re-tried. The trial continues and is due to last up to five weeks.