By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to the use of Google analytics to monitor user activity.
Post date: 24-Jul-2020 20:05:37
PC Andrew Harper's killers have been convicted of manslaughter. (See https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-53526636.) The jury found them not guilty of murder on the grounds that they didn't realise (or so they claimed and it wasn't possible to prove otherwise) that he was caught up in their towline and begin dragged behind them as they drove away from the scene of the crime (stealing a quad bike). Setencing will be on Friday. The widow expressed disappointment that the verdictt wasn't murder. Maybe the judge will take into consideration the many aggravating factors: the fact that they were in the process of committing an unlawful act and that they had weapons with them intended to help them resist arrest; the victim was a police officer perfomring his public duty; the offence was premeditated; significant physial suffering caused to the victim ... That could all add up to 24 years in prison.
Reading the report of the trial made me think of Kenny Hughes and the way he was killed. There's still no date fixed for the trial of his killers, but at least the courts are open again and starting to work through the backlog of cases. I bet Gavin and Chrissie are on tenterhooks waiting to hear when the trial wil be.