Andy Burnham said he has asked Justice Secretary Alex Norris to review the early release scheme as he faced questions about two of PC Andrew Harper’s killers being freed soon
PC Andrew Harper was just 28 when he was killed(Image: PA)
The widow of hero police officer PC Andrew Harper has said it is “deplorable” that two of his killers could be freed within months – as Andy Burnham pledged to review the early release scheme.
Lissie Harper said her husband, who died in 2019 after being dragged behind a speeding car as he responded to a burglary, deserves better.
On Tuesday Mr Burnham said he had asked his new Justice Secretary, Alex Norris, to review the controversial early release scheme, introduced to tackle prison shortages.
While the driver who killed PC Harper, Henry Long, will not qualify for early release, it has emerged that Jessie Cole and Albert Bowers – who were passengers in the car – could be freed soon.
Cole and Bowers were both jailed for 13 years after being convicted for manslaughter in 2020.
Teenagers Henry Long, Jessie Cole and Albert Bowers. were convicted over PC Harper’s killing
Mrs Harper said: “It has taken me years to rebuild a life that was torn apart in a matter of moments. Years to pick up the pieces left behind by three men whose actions robbed Andrew of his life and stole our future.
“Now – once again – politicians are making decisions from behind a desk that will have real and lasting consequences for victims’ families like mine.
“It is deplorable to me that we have reached a point where releasing prisoners early is even considered acceptable. We speak of justice, accountability and standing with victims, yet decisions like this do the opposite.”
In a written statement, she said her campaign for Harper’s Law – which means those who kill emergency workers face tougher sentences – now feels forgotten.
PC Harper’s widow has released a new image of the couple(Image: Lissie Harper)
Mrs Harper said: “For victims’ families, this is not about politics. It is about whether a sentence means what a judge says it means. It is about whether justice is something we truly believe in, or something that can be negotiated away when it becomes inconvenient.
“Andrew deserves better. Every victim deserves better.
“And the British public deserve a justice system they can have faith in.”
Mr Burham described PC Harper’s killing as an appalling crime and said: “The main perpetrator will not be subject to any early release. Of course, others involved have potentially been identified.
“But I’ve spoken to the new Justice Secretary. He will review the policy together and make further statements in due course.”
PC Harper died from his injuries after getting caught in a strap attached to the back of the Seat Toledo getaway car. He was dragged down a country road for more than a mile at breakneck speed as the teens fled the scene of a burglary in Sulhamstead, Berkshire, in August 2019.
Long, described in court as the ringleader, was given a 16-year sentence. Cole and Bowers, who were both 17 at the time, may be eligible to be released from prison halfway through their sentences, the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) has confirmed.
Lissie Harper has responded to the early release scheme(Image: PA)
In an interview with The Telegraph, PC Harper’s mum Debbie Adlam said she had received a letter from the MoJ confirming Cole and Bowers’ sentences might be reduced. She said: “It makes me feel sick. Andrew’s life doesn’t get to come back. It feels like a slap in the face and an insult.”
Earlier Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander told BBC Radio 4’s Today Programme: “That was a horrific crime and my thoughts are obviously still with his friends and family.
“The three individuals in the car on that evening were given different sentences. And I do need to assure your listeners that the individual who was behind the wheel is exempt from these sentencing changes.
“He will have to face a parole board before he can see the light of day. And in the changes that are coming via the Sentencing Act as well, the most dangerous offenders are excluded from it. So if you’ve got an extended determinate sentence or if you’re serving a life sentence, for example, the early release changes don’t apply.”
The early release scheme was announced due to a dangerous lack of prison spaces when Labour came to power in 2024. During the riots that summer there were fears that jails would run out of spaces completely.
Changes in the Sentencing Act now mean that prisoners on standard determined sentences can be released after serving a third of their term. For violent or sexual offences, the changes mean they are released at the halfway point.
Katie Kempen, chief executive at Victim Support, said: “It’s encouraging to hear the new PM will be looking again at the early release policy. This review must urgently fix the fact that most victims currently have no way of knowing whether or not an offender could be released early.
“It is unacceptable that so many victims are being kept in the dark about this – that must change. Victims cannot be an afterthought in this process – all victims deserve to be listened to, informed, respected and supported.”
All those who qualify will be subject to strict conditions, including tagging. Enver Solomon, who heads social justice charity Nacro, said: “It is understandable that the new Prime Minister wants to look at the detail of the early release scheme before taking it forward. In doing this, it’s important that the Government does not lose sight of the urgent preparations needed to ensure that people leaving prison have the support they need and releases are managed safely.
“The review must be carried out as quickly as possible to give people in prison, those who work with them, and victims of crime the clarity they need. To make sure that people leaving prison are not drawn into reoffending, proper planning is needed to make sure people aren’t released homeless and that they have the healthcare and other support they need from the moment they walk through the prison gates.
“It should not be forgotten that the reason the Labour government put in place an early release scheme was to ensure there isn’t yet another prisons capacity crisis. It is vital that the new government ensures prisons do not quickly become overcrowded again unable to rehabilitate people so they are turned away from a life of crime and there are fewer victims.”
Last month justice minister Jake Richards told the Commons: “Without the Sentencing Act 2026, which received Royal Assent in January, the courts would be at risk of grinding to a halt, preventing sex offenders and others from being brought to justice. No space in prisons would mean no trials, no justice for victims and no punishment for offenders.”
A Ministry of Justice spokesperson said: “This was a horrific crime, and our deepest sympathies are with Pc Andrew Harper’s family and friends. In 2024, the country was facing a prison crisis and a total breakdown of law and order, with judges ordered to stop jailing dangerous criminals.
“This Government is committed to public safety: we are building prison places at the fastest rate since the Victorian era, and taking the difficult decisions needed to lock up the most dangerous offenders.”
Credit: The Mirror
