PC Andrew Harper was dragged to his death "swinging like a pendulum" for more than a mile, the court heard today.

The police constable - who worked on the roads policing team, died on August 15 after responding to a call for burglarly in West Berkshire, hours after his shift had ended. 

Four-weeks to the day of his death the 28-year-old had wed his childhood sweetheart Lissie, who appeared in the packed public gallery yesterday.

ALSO READ: Jury in the PC Harper murder trial told to be "fair-minded" despite emotional case

Today at the Old Bailey in London, the prosecution team gave their version of events that night. 

They are accusing Henry Long, 18, and two 17-year-old boys, who cannot be named for legal reasons, of his murder, which they all deny.

Reading Chronicle:

Court artist sketch of Henry Long, 18 (left) (Elizabeth Cook/PA)

Prosecutor Brian Altman told the jury of 12 today: "With his ankles caught in a strap that was trailing behind a car being driven at speed along a county lane, he was dragged for over a mile along the road surface, swung from side to side like a pendulum in an effort to dislodge him, losing items of his police uniform along the way, with the rest of his uniform being quite literally ripped and stripped from his body."

"When at last they became distangled, he was left with the most awful injuries, from which he died from there on the road, surrounded by colleagues who tried in vain to save him."

He explained that his injuries 'were not survivable' and that it was a 'completely senseless killing of a 'young police officer'.

The Crown Prosecution's version of events are that at 11.17pm that night the Thames Valley Police 999 call centre recieved a report of a theft of a 'clearly valuable' quad  bike at a house known as Privett House just off Cock Lane in Berkshire.

The report had been made by the homeowner Peter Wallis who had said that three or four masked and gloved men had got out of a car and managed to make off with his new, 2019 registered, Honda quad bike. 

The prosecution team say that those men are the trio sitting in the dock.

Mr Altman said: "PCs Shaw and Harper were on duty that night in Reading and were heading back to their base at Abingdon, when they heard a call about a burglarly in process. It was Mr Wallis's call.

"Despite it being well beyond the end of their shift, becuase they were close and thought they could help, they responded to the call. 
"It was the decision that was to cost Andrew Harper his life." 

The duo came off the M4 motorway at junction 12 and drove along Lambdens Hill until they stopped in front of a SEAT Toledo- which had been involved in the theft - along Admoor Lane, about 20 ft apart.

Long was driving and one of the teenagers was in the passenger seat.

The other teenager was riding the stolen quadbike that was freewheeling behind the car attached by a crane strap to the boot. 

When they approached PC Harper's unmarked BMW police car the 17-year-old got off the quad bike.

Prosecutors say that he tried to get into the backseat of the SEAT and as the car was moving past the police car PC Harper got out of his side and tried to run behind it in order to intercept the teenager trying to get into the Seat.

At this point, the quad bike had been unhooked from the car and was rolling 'gently' down the hill.

But as the Seat, driven by Long, tried to make a speedy getaway with all three now inside the car, PC Harper was 'lassoed' around his ankles by the strap.

Mr Altman told the court:: "It is the prosecution case that Long drove the car knowing full well that PC Harper was entagled on the strap, and he drove it in a manner calculated to dislodge him, and to make good their escape, as had been their plan all along."

The trial continues.