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| PC Andrew Harper murder trial: Passenger 'did not see officer' | PC Andrew Harper murder trial: Passenger 'did not see officer' |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| A passenger inside a car that dragged PC Andrew Harper to his death says he never saw him during the incident. | A passenger inside a car that dragged PC Andrew Harper to his death says he never saw him during the incident. |
| Albert Bowers, 18, had been sitting in the front of a Seat Toledo which pulled PC Andrew Harper, 28, by a rope. | Albert Bowers, 18, had been sitting in the front of a Seat Toledo which pulled PC Andrew Harper, 28, by a rope. |
| Henry Long was driving, and Jessie Cole was another passenger. They were trying to get away after attempting to steal a quad bike in Berkshire last August. | Henry Long was driving, and Jessie Cole was another passenger. They were trying to get away after attempting to steal a quad bike in Berkshire last August. |
| Mr Bowers told the Old Bailey he thought police had "got the wrong person" when he was arrested. | Mr Bowers told the Old Bailey he thought police had "got the wrong person" when he was arrested. |
| The court previously heard PC Harper, from Wallingford, Oxfordshire, died in "truly shocking circumstances" when his ankles got caught by a strap used to tow the bike from a house in Stanford Dingley on 15 August 2019. | The court previously heard PC Harper, from Wallingford, Oxfordshire, died in "truly shocking circumstances" when his ankles got caught by a strap used to tow the bike from a house in Stanford Dingley on 15 August 2019. |
| Giving evidence, Mr Bowers, of Moat Close, Bramley, said: "I feel terrible this happened. I wish it hadn't." | Giving evidence, Mr Bowers, of Moat Close, Bramley, said: "I feel terrible this happened. I wish it hadn't." |
| The court heard he acted as the look-out during the bike theft. | The court heard he acted as the look-out during the bike theft. |
| Mr Cole, 18, of Paices Hill near Reading, rode the quad bike, which was towed by a rope attached to the Seat, the jury was told. | Mr Cole, 18, of Paices Hill near Reading, rode the quad bike, which was towed by a rope attached to the Seat, the jury was told. |
| The court heard they came across an unmarked BMW police car in Admoor Lane, and Mr Long, 19, from Mortimer, Reading, shouted "police". | The court heard they came across an unmarked BMW police car in Admoor Lane, and Mr Long, 19, from Mortimer, Reading, shouted "police". |
| Mr Bowers said: "All of a sudden two hands came through my window. That's when I realised it was Jessie trying to get in." | Mr Bowers said: "All of a sudden two hands came through my window. That's when I realised it was Jessie trying to get in." |
| He added that "when he jumped through the window his legs came over me, his hands on to Henry and that's when Henry's shouting 'get off, get off, get off'." | |
| The defendant said he "grabbed" Mr Cole and put him in the back seat so Mr Long could drive. | The defendant said he "grabbed" Mr Cole and put him in the back seat so Mr Long could drive. |
| Defence barrister Timothy Raggatt QC asked: "At any point at all were you ever aware there was anybody else outside your car?" | Defence barrister Timothy Raggatt QC asked: "At any point at all were you ever aware there was anybody else outside your car?" |
| He replied: "No. Apart from Jessie I did not see nothing." | He replied: "No. Apart from Jessie I did not see nothing." |
| He also denied hearing anything unusual, saying: "There was too much going on in the car - Henry panicking and shouting and music [on the radio was] loud. | He also denied hearing anything unusual, saying: "There was too much going on in the car - Henry panicking and shouting and music [on the radio was] loud. |
| He added: "We just wanted to get home. It is hard to remember exactly what happened, so many people shouting. I was shouting, Henry and Jessie was. | He added: "We just wanted to get home. It is hard to remember exactly what happened, so many people shouting. I was shouting, Henry and Jessie was. |
| "Obviously we knew it was police. We knew we were trying to get away because obviously we nicked the quad." | "Obviously we knew it was police. We knew we were trying to get away because obviously we nicked the quad." |
| He said he never looked behind or saw anything "strange". | He said he never looked behind or saw anything "strange". |
| Cross examining, prosecutor Jonathan Laidlaw QC replayed video footage of the incident in slow motion. | Cross examining, prosecutor Jonathan Laidlaw QC replayed video footage of the incident in slow motion. |
| He said: "Jessie was running towards the car and then something caused him to turn round and look back to PC Harper. | He said: "Jessie was running towards the car and then something caused him to turn round and look back to PC Harper. |
| "The prosecution say once he got into the car he told you he had seen a police officer." | "The prosecution say once he got into the car he told you he had seen a police officer." |
| Mr Bowers denied this. | Mr Bowers denied this. |
| The defendants have admitted conspiring to steal the bike, but deny murdering PC Harper. | The defendants have admitted conspiring to steal the bike, but deny murdering PC Harper. |
| Mr Long has admitted manslaughter. | Mr Long has admitted manslaughter. |
| The trial continues. | The trial continues. |