PC Andrew Harpers’ mum slams £5m bid to develop killer traveller camp
The grieving mom of slain PC Andrew Harper has slammed a proposed £5 million redevelopment of a infamous travellers’ camp the place her son’s killers hid and burned proof.
Deborah Adlam stated plans to improve the Four Houses Corner caravan website within the leafy village of Burghfield Common, Berkshire, are an insult to her son’s reminiscence.
In opposition to the positioning’s facelift Deborah stated: ‘I’ve to talk up, I can not take this laying down, for Andrew, his reminiscence and notably the colleagues of Andrew.’
PC Harper, 28, was dragged to his loss of life whereas responding to a quad bike theft in August 2019.
The hero officer was making an attempt to cease Albert Bowers, 18, Henry Long, 19, and Jessie Cole, 18, after they’d stolen the £10,000 quad bike when he obtained caught up in a tow rope and was dragged a mile alongside a rustic street close to Reading.
A plan has been proposed to redevelop this plot of land which is the previous Four Houses Corner Caravan Site
Newlywed PC Harper (proper) died within the line of responsibility in August 2019 when he tried to cease a gang of youths stealing a quad bike. His mom Debbie Adlam (left) has slammed a proposed £5 million redevelopment of a infamous travellers’ camp the place her son’s killers hid
Mrs Adlan stated plans to improve the Four Houses Corner caravan website within the leafy village of Burghfield Common, Berkshire, are an insult to her son’s reminiscence
Henry Long (left), 19, and 18-year-olds Jessie Cole (centre) and Albert Bowers (proper), who had been jailed over PC Harper’s loss of life
The gang fled to Four Houses Corner the place they had been arrested by police hours later.
They had been discovered responsible of manslaughter, having been acquitted of homicide.
Long was jailed for 16 years whereas Cole and Bowers had been sentenced to 13 years.
The Four Houses Corner caravan park – which is at the moment empty and fenced off – was cleared and vacated in 2020 after the police investigation had proven how the world had turn out to be dilapidated and full of chemical and human waste, making it uninhabitable.
PC Harper, pictured above, was dragged alongside the street and died whereas making an attempt to cease Bowers, 18, Long, 19, and Cole, 18
Residents had been moved to social housing close by as West Berkshire Council determined what to do subsequent with the land.
No work has taken place over the past three years and the positioning at the moment stands empty, guarded by 24-hour safety.
But now council chiefs need to erect 18 double everlasting traveller properties, a play space, a kitchen and utilities constructing as fears develop that the identical households who shielded PC Harper’s killers can be moved again.
PC Harper’s mom Deborah, 56, informed a planning assembly that the brand new traveller’s camp on the outdated website may set off suicidal ideas amongst a few of her son’s former colleagues, particularly those that had been there when he died.
She stated: ‘They stay haunted by what they noticed that evening. They had been there, they must dwell with what they’ve seen. That connection to the positioning will exist all the time for us and for the police group.
‘This goes to be reopened with a bigger variety of individuals dwelling there and I’d wish to know mainly who can be dwelling there? Is it going to be the identical households? And how will that be managed?
‘This is a matter for me. Who goes to dwell there, ought to it’s authorized? What we have seen from individuals resident there on the time is nothing wanting appalling to be fairly sincere. We’ve had no sense of empathy from their group in any respect.
Deborah Adlam is pictured addressing members of West Berkshire Council
Plans present what the brand new properties may appear like on the website
Deborah Adlam is pictured addressing councillors concerning the planning utility
‘In a number of brief years, the people who find themselves really accountable are going to be again out on the road. There’s been issues with the police about that website for fairly a very long time up to now. The police have been there usually.
‘They’ve had their tyres slashed, their home windows damaged they usually’ve needed to flip up in pairs for their very own security. Now, that can’t be proper and what worries me is that I do know in latest instances there’s been occasions the place the police have needed to attend they usually’re ridiculing these cops due to the loss of life of Andrew.
‘We must dwell understanding these items occur now, and my concern is for the psychological well being of officers who will nonetheless must go up there and a few had been associates of Andrew who noticed absolutely the devastation that his physique endured.
‘My fear is that if this reopens on the identical website, it is brushing it apart. Anybody who thinks they know the way unhealthy it was, suppose once more. It was an terrible lot worse than you really realise.
PC Andrew Harper was killed within the line of responsibility simply 4 weeks he married his spouse Lissie
‘I do know each element that I can presumably know and I fear for different cops, for his or her psychological well being and whether or not they will have a suicide on their fingers due to the reopening of this website.’
So far not less than 20 native residents in Burghfield have submitted objections to West Berkshire Council over the plans.
They embody PC Harper’s uncle, Paul Shrimpton, who wrote: ‘It’s a stone’s throw away from the place he drew his final breath. To even consider re-opening the positioning so shut is abhorrent and completely disrespectful.
‘This is the ONLY place that we as his household can go to really feel near him, and the issues positioned there as a memorial are treasured.
‘Reopening this website locations them, the situation, and our capacity to really feel we’re with him at critical threat. Out of respect for Andrew, his household (for whom it will by no means go away) and all these in the area people who felt the ache of his loss so deeply, please cease this plan instantly, and declare this website completely closed down.’
Councillor Ross Mackinnon, Conservative Group Leader and Leader of the Opposition, accused the Liberal Democrat-run West Berkshire Council government of making an attempt to fulfil their obligation of getting a hard and fast variety of everlasting traveller pitches by speeding these plans by with out correct public session.
He stated locals are actually contemplating asking the Secretary of State, Michael Gove, to intervene and block the planning utility and urge West Berkshire Council to search out different lodging for travellers inside the district.
Councillor Ross Mackinnon (pictured), Conservative Group Leader and Leader of the Opposition, blasted the Liberal Democrat-run council for the planning utility
Family members say the world that PC Harper died is the one place they’ll go to ‘really feel near him’. Pictured are floral tributes left on the roadside after the hero cop was killed
Lissie Harper pictured along with her hero cop husband, PC Andrew Harper earlier than his loss of life
Cllr Mackinnon informed MailOnline: ‘ I believe it is absurd that West Berkshire Council are planning on spending roughly £5 million of council taxpayers’ cash refurbishing and reinstating a travellers’ website linked to the homicide of PC Andrew Harper.
‘The killers, who confirmed such a callous disregard for PC Harper’s life as they dragged him for over a mile over nation lanes took refuge on the website burning proof earlier than being arrested. They laughed and joked throughout their trial, and not one of the residents of the travellers’ website ever assisted the police of their enquiries.
‘After the investigation, West Berkshire Council found that the positioning was in a dirty and dilapidated state, with in depth contamination from human and industrial waste.
‘Now the Council desires to refurbish and enhance the positioning earlier than reinstating the travellers – to the shock and uproar of native residents, who say it’s an affront to the reminiscence of PC Harper and can result in a return of crime and delinquent behaviour that used to emanate from the positioning earlier than it was closed.’
One native, who declined to offer his title, informed MailOnline how travellers on the outdated website threatened to torch the properties of those that crossed them and indulged in smash and garb robberies domestically. They additionally usually smashed bus home windows armed with slingshots.
He stated: ‘My view is that this redevelopment should not be going forward. It’s been empty for 3 years so what’s the level of decontaminating the positioning, clearing it and rehoming all the previous residents solely to lay our a fortune constructing a brand new, polished website for them to maneuver again onto? They’re already in first rate social housing, consider what good that kind of cash may do in serving to people who find themselves homeless.
‘When the killers are launched, who’s to say that they don’t seem to be going to arrange dwelling there on a brand new, refurbished, fashionable website? They’ll nonetheless know individuals there. PC Harper by no means obtained to go dwelling, it does not appear proper. The land ought to keep as it’s, simply go away nature to take it again so it turns into frequent land once more.’
