PC Andrew Harper trial hears officer's body was 'tumbling' in road

A police officer called to the scene where PC Andrew Harper was killed saw his body "tumbling" in the road, a court has heard.

The 28-year-old died after he was dragged behind a car driven by suspected thieves while responding to an emergency call in Berkshire last August.

On Monday, PC Andy Kemp told the Old Bailey that he was called to the area following the reported theft of a quad bike and saw a Seat Toledo driving "very fast" near the A4.

The dog handler added: "From the way the car came across the junction, it came out very, very quickly, and there was something that was dragging from behind, and it made me think that they had stolen an ATM, a cash machine from somewhere."

Describing the moment he saw PC Harper's body in the road in Ufton Lane, he said: "It appeared to be tumbling."

Officers from Thames Valley and the Ministry of Defence Police attended the scene and tried to rescue the officer, the court heard.

In a statement read to the court by prosecutor Jonathan Polnay, Thames Valley firearms officer PC Nick Kluger recalled feeling "an immense sense of dread and an urgency" when he heard that an officer was down.

He and fellow officers used a defibrillator to try to revive PC Harper.

"I said something like 'Stay with me, buddy, the ambulance will be here soon and they'll sort you out'," the statement continued.

PC Kluger said he had a "feeling of elation" when he saw a paramedic arrive, however this quickly disappeared when he saw the expression on the emergency worker's face.

Paramedic Chris Darley said PC Harper's injuries were "incompatible with life", the court heard.

His statement read: "I felt it was unfair to continue with CPR after what PC Harper had been through."

Mr Darley pronounced PC Harper dead at the scene at 11.45pm.

Henry Long, 18, from Mortimer, Reading, and two 17-year-olds, who cannot be named for legal reasons, all deny murdering PC Harper.

All four defendants admit conspiring to steal a quad bike, and Long has admitted manslaughter, which the younger boys deny.

Long and one of the 17-year-olds remained "quiet and calm" when they were arrested on suspicion of murder, jurors were told.

They were found in a caravan at the Four Houses Corner site in Ufton Nervet by PC Warren Mason at around 12.50am.

The officer said in a statement: "Long and (the 17-year-old) remained very quiet and calm. Long and (the 17-year-old) stepped out of the caravan to talk to me."

He continued: "I explained to them that a police officer had died and I was arresting them on suspicion of murder. Long and (the 17-year-old) remained calm and collected."

The pair were arrested for a second time at 12.57am by PC Simon Denton.

Footage from his body-worn video was shown to the court, in which Long can be heard saying: "Does it look like I've done a murder? It's upsetting, he's calling me a murderer."