PC Andrew Harper: Anniversary services held for officer

Services have been held to pay tribute to PC Andrew Harper ahead of the one-year anniversary of his death.

PC Harper, 28, died when he was dragged for more than a mile along a road by a getaway car on 15 August 2019.

The officer's family, close Thames Valley Police colleagues and Chief Constable John Campbell attended a private service at the force's training centre in Sulhamstead, Berkshire.

A one-minute silence across the force was also observed at 11:00 BST.

About 20 officers, some of whom were first on the scene when PC Harper died, gathered for a simultaneous service at Newbury Police Station where a wreath was laid.

Addressing those gathered, Insp Al Hawkett said PC Harper "gave his life on behalf of others".

"His dedication to protect the public from harm is testament to his courage and professionalism," he said.

Insp Hawkett added the officer's death was "something that will stay with all of us forever".

The senior officer later read out a poem written by PC Harper's widow Lissie, who described her husband as "kind and strong, without venom or greed".

Due to social distancing requirements, the memorials were repeated to allow more officers to pay their respects.

The actual anniversary date on Saturday has been left free of commemorations so PC Harper's family and colleagues "can mark that date however they wish to", Thames Valley Police said.

Newlywed PC Harper, from Wallingford in Oxfordshire, died after his feet got caught in a tow strap trailing behind a getaway car that had been used to pull a stolen quad bike near Stanford Dingley in Berkshire.

He suffered catastrophic injuries as he was "swung from side to side like a pendulum" behind the Seat Toledo for more than a mile.

Henry Long, 19, Albert Bowers and Jessie Cole, both 18, were convicted of manslaughter but cleared of murder following a trial at the Old Bailey in July.

Long, who was the driver, was jailed for 16 years while passengers Bowers and Jessie Cole were sentenced to 13 years each.

The killers' sentences have prompted Mrs Harper and PC Harper's mother Deborah Adlam, to launch campaigns calling for tougher prison sentences for the killers of emergency service workers.