Two teenagers accused of murdering PC Andrew Harper named for first time as retrial set for mid-June

Two teenagers accused of murdering PC Andrew Harper have been named for the first time.

Albert Bower and Jessie Cole, both 18, are accused alongside Henry Long, 19, of killing the Thames Valley Police officer when he was dragged for more than a mile along a country line while on duty.

Bower, from Mortimer, Reading, and Cole, from Bramley, Hampshire, were identified for the first time on Wednesday after they turned 18 in custody.

Their first trial had to be stopped in late-March due to the coronavirus outbreak, as jurors were forced into self-isolation and Mr Justice Edis decided the case had no chance of finishing due to the impending lockdown.

At the Old Bailey on Wednesday, the judge scheduled a new trial in the week of June 15, telling the court the case had been designated as a “priority” and would be heard swiftly.

Only a handful of criminal jury trials have been held around the country since the decision was taken last month to restart cases.

The Lord Chief Justice approved the move to restart jury trials as long as government guidance on social distancing was observed by all participants, and the courtrooms passed strict hygiene tests.

Mr Justice Edis said the PC Harper murder trial would be able to start once another case in the courthouse has finished and the courtrooms have been thoroughly cleaned.

It is expected three rooms will be taken up by the case, with a secondary courtroom occupied by journalists and members of the public following proceedings on a livelink and a third room used for jury deliberations.

Bower, Cole and Long, also of Mortimer, Reading, all deny murdering PC Harper on August 15 last year.

The officer had been called to reports of a burglary and died of injuries suffered when he was dragged along a country lane by a tow rope.

None of the defendants were present for today administrative hearing, which was conducted over Skype.