A TEENAGER convicted of manslaughter following the death of PC Andrew Harper, had worked on the Isle of Wight in the weeks leading up to the killing.

Jessie Cole, 18, spent several weeks working on the Island with his father, tree cutting.

He was one of two passengers in the car driven by Henry Long, 19, who dragged PC Harper to his death.

The trio, all travellers, were found guilty of manslaughter.

Cole claimed he had only recently met the others, and went out thieving with them, instead of on his own, because he was scared.

The court heard that he cannot read or write and left school aged 14.

He went to a college for boys with learning difficulties, but by the time he dropped out he could only spell his name.

According to the Daily Mail, since leaving college he worked with his father as a tree-cutter in Reading, Basingstoke and the Isle of Wight.

In the weeks before the killing he worked with his father on the Island before returning to live with his mother in Hampshire.

He had no previous convictions.

Cole, born on May 17, 2002, pleaded guilty to theft, and was found guilty of manslaughter following a trial.

The trio have yet to be sentenced.