Communities minister Sally Jameson has stated that Pc Andrew Harper's killers will not be freed from jail early, and suggested a solution has already been found to keep them behind bars.
Speaking to Times Radio on Tuesday, Ms Jameson said: "It is important that we find a way, and I'm sure the Justice Secretary will find a way to make sure that Pc Harper's killers are not released early." She added: "He's looking for solutions, and a solution's been identified."
Government response to backlash
The comments follow Prime Minister Andy Burnham's request to Justice Secretary Alex Norris to "work through further options" to prevent the early release of Pc Harper's killers. This comes amid mounting pressure from Pc Harper's family and the police, as well as a petition signed by more than 880,000 people calling for the killers to remain in jail.
On Monday, Downing Street had said it was "not possible" to exempt "one or two offenders" convicted of manslaughter from the early release scheme. However, a Government spokesperson said: "The Prime Minister has asked the Justice Secretary to work through further options to keep a greater number of the most serious offenders in prison, including the killers of Pc Harper."
Background of the case
Pc Andrew Harper was fatally injured in 2019 when he got caught in a strap attached to the back of a car and was dragged down a country road as the killers fled the scene of a quad bike theft in Sulhamstead, Berkshire. Jessie Cole and Albert Bowers were sentenced to 13 years for manslaughter in 2020 and were set to be released halfway through their sentences in January.
The early release changes were part of the Sentencing Act passed earlier this year, which cut the minimum amount of time many offenders would have to spend in prison. Some 5,000 people are expected to be released early under the changes, down from 6,000 after exemptions were made for those convicted of rape, serious child sex offences and grooming offences.
Continued efforts
Ms Jameson explained that the Government was looking at whether it could find more space on the jail estate, possibly by reducing the women prison population, to ease overcrowding pressure. A Government source told The Times: "He has never accepted the line that it is impossible to prevent the release of the most serious offenders and has continued to push the system on a daily basis. He is now increasingly confident that a solution can be found to prevent the release of the killers of Pc Harper."
Those freed early will face tougher probation conditions, including electronic monitoring, random drug testing and possible bans from driving, pubs and events such as football matches.
