Andy Burnham seeks to block early prison release for killers of PC Harper
Prime Minister Andy Burnham has instructed his justice secretary to find a mechanism to block the early release of two men convicted of killing PC Harper.
The intervention follows severe backlash over a government scheme designed to alleviate prison overcrowding, which could have seen Jessie Cole and Albert Bowers freed in January. The pair were sentenced to 13 years for manslaughter in 2020.
Under recent changes to the Sentencing Act, inmates convicted of certain violent crimes become eligible for release after serving half their sentences rather than the previously mandated two-thirds.
Public outrage and petition
The prospective release of Cole and Bowers sparked immediate condemnation from law enforcement and the victim’s family. PC Andrew Harper, 28, died in Berkshire in 2019 after being dragged behind a getaway vehicle driven by three teenagers fleeing a quad bike theft.
Lissie Harper, who had been married to the officer for just one month before his death, has vehemently opposed the early release. Her previous advocacy led to Harper’s Law, which established mandatory life sentences for those who kill emergency workers during the commission of a crime.
Former police dog handler Chris Bushnell witnessed the fatal incident and described the possibility of an early release as absolutely outrageous. Bushnell said the move was effectively spitting in the face of police officers.
A petition demanding the killers remain incarcerated has amassed about 900,000 signatures. Aileen O’Connor, chairwoman of the Thames Valley Police Federation, stated the public is speaking loudly and clearly on the matter.
Government intervention
Downing Street initially cautioned against the feasibility of excluding specific individuals convicted of manslaughter, warning that a blanket ban on the offence would significantly impact the wider prison population.
However, sources indicate Burnham is making daily calls during his holiday to resolve the issue. Justice Secretary Alex Norris is expected to present a targeted solution shortly to ensure Cole and Bowers are not treated identically to other inmates with similar sentences.
A government spokesperson confirmed the prime minister asked Norris to explore further options to keep a greater number of the most serious offenders behind bars.
The third individual involved, getaway driver Henry Long, received an extended determinate sentence of 16 years and is completely excluded from the early release programme.
Alternative Overcrowding Solutions
The government faces intense pressure as prison spaces could reach maximum capacity by October. The overarching early release initiative is projected to free roughly 5,000 inmates. This figure was revised down from 6,000 after ministers exempted individuals convicted of rape, child sex offences and grooming.
Former victims’ commissioner Dame Vera Baird urged the administration to reconsider its selection criteria for the scheme. Baird suggested releasing female inmates or those serving Imprisonment for Public Protection sentences to alleviate the crisis safely.
IPP sentences, which lack a maximum tariff, were abolished in 2012 but not applied retrospectively. The United Nations has called for an end to the practice, as more than 2,000 people remain imprisoned under these terms. Baird advocated for a wholesale resentencing effort to ease the mounting pressure on the justice system.
