Widow of Pc Harper says it is ‘deplorable’ that two killers could be freed early
The widow of police officer Andrew Harper has said it is “deplorable” that two of his killers are being considered for early release.
Lissie Harper said that politicians are “making decisions from behind a desk that will have real and lasting consequences” for the families of victims. It comes as Prime Minister Andy Burnham has said he will review the early release scheme policy. Pc Harper was 28 years old when he sustained fatal injuries while responding to a quad bike theft in Sulhamstead, Berkshire, in August 2019. The driver of the vehicle which caused Pc Harper’s death, Henry Long, received a 16-year sentence, and will not be eligible for the scheme. But the Constable’s mother said she had been told that early release could be on the cards for Jessie Cole and Albert Bowers, who were passengers in the car and handed 13 years in custody for manslaughter after a trial at the Old Bailey in 2020. Lissie Harper said in a statement: “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. “They tell victims their suffering matters less, and offenders that the punishment handed down by our courts is no longer what they will actually serve.” She said the cross-party support that helped her secure Harper’s Law in his honour “feels forgotten”. The law, which she campaigned for, extends mandatory life sentences to anyone who commits the manslaughter of an emergency worker on duty, including police, prison officers, firefighters and paramedics. It is not retrospective, meaning Pc Harper’s killers cannot have their sentences extended. “When I fought for Harper’s Law, I was supported not only by the Conservative Government of the day but by the Labour Party too. “They pledged to support our cause and agreed that those who kill emergency workers should face tougher sentences because some crimes are so grave they demand meaningful punishment. “That cross-party support helped make Harper’s Law a reality. Today, it feels forgotten. “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.” Under the new Sentencing Act, set to come into force in September, some 6,000 criminals are set to be released under the early prison release scheme. The Government has so far failed to rule out whether killers, rapists and paedophiles will be exempt from the scheme. Pc Harper’s mother Debbie Adlam said she had received a letter from the MoJ warning that Bowers and Cole could be set free early. Prime Minister Andy Burnham said earlier that he was reviewing the policy with the newly appointed justice secretary. He said he would “review the whole of this policy” before it proceeds. “I can’t say that I can change the policy completely, but I will look at it in detail before we go further forward.” Victims’ commissioner Claire Waxman said Mr Burnham’s review provides an “important opportunity” to ensure safeguards are in place and said she had written to the Prime Minister and Lord Chancellor earlier on Wednesday setting out her concerns. She said: “As things stand, I do not have confidence that these releases can be managed in a way that fully safeguards victims, protects the public and maintains confidence in the justice system.” Thames Valley Police Chief Constable Jason Hogg said Pc Harper’s death has had a “lasting impact”. “Under the law that bears Andrew’s name, if his killers were convicted today, they would be receiving life sentences. “For this reason, for them to be released early under the new Sentencing Act legislation feels wrong. I have written to the Prime Minister, the Home Secretary and the Justice Secretary to make my opinion on this clear.”
Published: by Radio NewsHub