Andy Burnham is said to be ready to “explore every option” in a bid to stop the men convicted over PC Andrew Harper’s death from leaving prison early, as public anger grows and a petition opposing their release passes 760,000 signatures.
The row intensified earlier this week after the Prime Minister confirmed that Jessie Cole and Albert Bowers, two of those responsible for PC Harper’s killing, would still qualify for early release under the Government’s plans to reduce pressure on overcrowded prisons.
On Tuesday, Labour Justice Secretary Alex Norris issued an apology to PC Harper’s relatives, but stopped short of overturning the decision, pointing instead to what he described as a serious “prison capacity crisis”.
PC Harper, 28, died in August 2019 while responding to reports of a stolen quad bike in Berkshire, in a case that shocked the country and prompted widespread calls for tougher sentencing protections for emergency workers.
The Thames Valley Police officer sustained catastrophic injuries after becoming entangled in a strap attached to a getaway vehicle driven by Henry Long, who was later handed a 16-year prison sentence.
Long’s co-defendants, Jessie Cole and Albert Bowers, were each jailed in 2020 for 13 years after being convicted of manslaughter over PC Harper’s death.
However, under the current early release proposals, the pair — who were photographed laughing during their trial — could be released after serving just half of their sentences in the months ahead.
Around 5,000 offenders are expected to be freed ahead of schedule under sentencing changes due to begin in October and run across 10 months. The number had previously stood at 6,000, before an urgent review led to exemptions for rapists, child sex offenders and grooming gang offenders.
Andy Burnham is reportedly considering ‘every option’ to keep PC Andrew Harper’s killers behind bars
Albert Bowers (pictured, left) and Jessie Cole (pictured, centre) could be released having served half their prison sentence
PC Harper’s widow, Lissie (pictured), said it was a ‘disgusting betrayal’ that his killers could be eligible for early release in early 2027
Mr Burnham had so far resisted pressure to exempt the two killers from the early release scheme.
He said earlier this week he had been ‘pushed to the very limits of what is possible to do without risking the prison system reaching capacity and collapsing’ by excluding 1,000 prisoners sentenced for ‘rape, serious child sex offences and other grooming offences’ from eligibility.
But a Government source told the Telegraph on Friday that the Prime Minister is now prepared to look at ‘every option’ to keep Jessie Cole and Albert Bowers behind bars.
A petition started by Aileen O’Connor, the Chair of the Thames Valley Police Federation, called for PC Harper’s killers to be blocked from early release.
As of Saturday morning, the petition had received 760,578 signatures.
Ms O’Connor wrote: ‘I am absolutely outraged that the Justice Secretary and the Prime Minister have decided that killing a police officer in the execution of their duty is somehow less serious than other offences deemed too dangerous for early release.
‘Let me be clear, on behalf of Thames Valley Police Officers, I challenge the Prime Minister and the Justice Secretary to stand before PC Andrew Harper’s widow, Lissie, his parents, his brother, his loved ones, or indeed any police officer in this country, and explain why those responsible for killing a police officer should still be eligible for early release.
‘Explain it to the officers who attended the scene on 15 August 2019 and witnessed the horrific consequences of that crime. The friends and colleagues that had to hear about it on the radio. Tell them that the life of a police officer does not warrant the same protection under this legislation.
PC Andrew Harper (pictured) was 28 when he sustained fatal injuries while responding to a quad bike theft in Sulhamstead, Berkshire, in August 2019
‘This decision pours salt into wounds that have never healed. It is an insult to Andrew’s family, his friends, his colleagues and the entire policing family.’
She continued: ‘Time and again they have been forced to relive their grief while watching a justice system that they trusted fail to recognise the unique sacrifice made by those who serve and protect the public.
‘Police Officers put themselves in harm’s way every day. They run towards danger when everyone else is running away. They do so knowing that they may never come home to their families.
‘For the Government to exclude the killers of police officers from these protections sends a deeply troubling message about the value placed on those who make that sacrifice.
‘Andrew Harper’s family deserved better. Every police officer in this country deserves better.
‘I will not stand by while the voices of Andrew’s family, his colleagues and police officers across this country continue to be ignored.
‘Somebody, somewhere, must finally listen. Please sign our petition.’
Downing Street has been contacted for comment about Mr Burnham reportedly weighing up options to block their release.
PC Harper’s family expressed anger and disappointment at the decision not to exempt Cole and Bowers from the plans.
Andrew Harper’s mother, Debbie Adlam, said: ‘There is an element of “I understand what you’re going through, and I can see why you feel the way you do”.
‘And he could definitely hear the way I felt. I was getting more angry as we went along because I just felt I had more and more questions.’
PC Harper’s widow, Lissie Harper, said it was a ‘disgusting betrayal’ that his killers could be eligible for early release in early 2027, adding that she was ‘beyond appalled and bristling with anger to hear that Andrew’s killers are soon to be free to roam the streets’.
The early release changes were part of the Sentencing Act passed earlier this year that cut the minimum amount of time many offenders would have to spend in prison.
Those freed will face tougher probation conditions, including electronic monitoring, random drug testing and possible bans from driving, pubs and events such as football matches.
