Ministers Defend Early Release Scheme Amid Harper Killers' Eligibility
Thames Valley Chief Constable Considers Legal Action as Public Petition Demands Halt to Release of PC Andrew Harper's Killers
Image: Eddie Pollard / AI
Sarah Connor
Ministers are defending the early release of PC Andrew Harper’s killers as part of a government early prisoner release scheme.
PC Andrew Harper died in August 2019, sustaining fatal injuries while responding to a quad bike theft.
Henry Long, the driver of the vehicle involved in PC Harper's death, received a 16-year sentence and is not eligible for the scheme.
Harper's Law, mandating life sentences for the manslaughter of emergency workers, came into force in 2022 but cannot be applied retrospectively.
More than 150,000 people have signed a petition, demanding the Government prevent the early release of Cole and Bowers.
A police federation threatens legal action; Aileen O’Connor states, "We will throw everything at this through a proper legal challenge from KCs, barristers, you name it. Our colleagues will accept nothing less."
The Government has punched us in the gut… they should be ashamed of themselves.
PC Andrew Harper's mother claims her family is ‘paying the price’ after learning her son's killers remain eligible for early release under the government's planned sentencing changes.
Lissie Harper claims the Government has "punched us in the gut… they should be ashamed of themselves"; Aileen O’Connor describes it as "a final betrayal from the politicians, who are supposed to be on our side."
About 1,000 fewer prisoners will be released early after Andy Burnham’s intervention to exclude those convicted of rape, serious child sexual offences, and grooming from the scheme.
Andy Burnham faces backlash for a decision regarding early release, though rapists and serious child sex offenders have been exempted from the scheme.
The government announced an additional £10 million for front-line victim support services.
That wouldn’t be right. It wouldn’t be lawful either.
Jake Richards claims it would be wrong to pick out individual cases within different offending cohorts, stating, "That wouldn’t be right. It wouldn’t be lawful either."
Richards also claims that if prison places are not available, the police's daily work of finding perpetrators and locking them up "would be impossible."
Those released under the scheme will face tougher probation conditions, including electronic monitoring and random drug testing.