Greater Manchester Police Chief Constable Stephen Watson has backed Andy Burnham's bid to stop the killers of PC Andrew Harper being released from prison early.
Early release scheme
In October, the Government is set to start releasing 5,000 prisoners to create more space in the prison system. While the inmates set for early release won't include rapists or paedophiles, the measures did not cover PC Harper's killers.
Jessie Cole and Albert Bowers were sentenced to 13 years for manslaughter in 2020. Both are set to be released next year halfway through their sentences. Before this year's Sentencing Act, they would have served two-thirds of their term.
Pressure on the Prime Minister
The Prime Minister has been facing increasing pressure from PC Harper's family and the police not to allow Cole and Bowers to be freed in January under existing plans.
Andy Burnham has said he "wouldn't forgive myself" if he did not try to lessen the "anguish" of PC Andrew Harper's family. He has come under pressure from 50 policing leaders from across the UK to use "every lawful option" to prevent the early release.
Letter from policing leaders
A letter from chief constables and other law enforcement leaders has called on the Prime Minister to "establish an additional public protection safeguard" for the most serious offenders when future early release schemes are floated. The leaders included Met Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley, Greater Manchester Chief Constable Stephen Watson, and National Crime Agency director general Graeme Biggar. They also said families and victims "must be properly considered whenever significant changes are made to sentencing or release arrangements".
Speaking to LBC, the Prime Minister was asked if he had a message for Aimee Harper, the sister of the police officer who died in the line of duty in 2019, and who had shared her experience of sitting in the courtroom with his killers.
Mr Burnham replied: "That I hear you, I feel for you. I wouldn't forgive myself if I didn't do everything I possibly could to try and lessen your anguish, and I am doing that. I am turning over every stone. I am looking at everything. I am pushing the system to go further."
He added: "That's the way I go about my job. I listen to people. I continually push myself and the system to do more. In this instance, I think there is more that can be done."
Mr Burnham pointed to returning foreign national offenders and dealing with those serving Imprisonment for Public Protection (IPP) sentences as means of freeing up prison space.
The Prime Minister said: "I'm not making comments today in a knee-jerk way because I wouldn't raise false hope of people. I'm doing it in a considered way, having looked in detail at the situation, having considered a range of advice. I am confident that we can develop a plan to free up more spaces in the prison estate, so that we can ensure more serious offenders serve their full term."
