Jed Foster, 20, appears via video link at court in Reading charged with murder and theft

This article is more than 1 year old

This article is more than 1 year old

A man accused of murdering a police officer who was investigating a burglary faces trial in January in front of a high court judge.

PC Andrew Harper, 28, a Thames Valley police officer, was killed last Thursday evening near Sulhamstead in Berkshire.

He died from multiple injuries after being dragged under a vehicle and was then possibly hit by a police car.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest PC Andrew Harper. Photograph: Thames Valley police/PA

Jed Foster appeared at Reading crown court via video link from Woodhill prison in Milton Keynes on Wednesday charged with Harper’s murder and the theft of a quad bike from Paul Wallis.

He is yet to enter pleas to the charges, but on Tuesday his lawyer, Rob Jacques, said Foster denied any involvement in Harper’s murder.

Foster, 20, whose friends and family members filled the public gallery, spoke to confirm his name, date of birth and nationality during the hearing, which lasted about 30 minutes.

Harper’s family looked on from seats in the jury box.

The judge, Paul Dugdale, set a trial date for 20 January for the case, which is expected to last about three weeks. “It will be a high court judge case and will be tried at Reading crown court,” he said. “It was an incident that took place in Berkshire and it should be tried in Berkshire.”

Foster was one of 10 men and boys aged between 13 and 30 arrested after the death. The remaining nine have been bailed until 13 September.