The jury in the trial of the three males accused of the murder of PC Andrew Harper has retired to consider its verdicts.
On Tuesday, Mr Justice Edis summed up the case before the jury of 11 retired.
On Monday, Mr Justice Edis discharged one of the jurors but said that the decision did not have “anything to do with the facts of this case”.
During the three week trial, the court heard harrowing and horrific accounts of how PC Andrew Harper was dragged behind a car for more than a mile at an average speed of 42.5 mph.
The car that was used to drag PC Harper to his death
PC Harper’s leg had become caught in a strap that was being towed by a Seat Toledo after Henry Long (driving), Albert Bowers and Jessie Cole had carried out a late-night raid on a property in the Thames Valley area.
They had aimed to steal a £10,000 quad bike, but PC Harper and his colleague intercepted the thieves as they attempted to make their getaway.
It was the prosecution’s case that the three defendants knew that PC Harper was being dragged behind the vehicle.
PC Harper, surrounded by his colleagues, died at the scene after Long, Bowers and Cole left the officer for dead before attempting to hide in a nearby travellers site.
(L to R ) Long, Bowers and Cole
The defendants, who appeared by video link from HMP Belmarsh, have admitted conspiring to steal the bike, but deny murdering PC Harper claiming that they did not know that they were dragging PC Harper behind their vehicle.
Long has admitted manslaughter.
As soon as it is announced, Emergency Services News will report the verdict via our Twitter account: @ES_News_
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PC Andrew Harper | Born 22nd March 1991 – died 15th August 2019 | #RIP
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