The Police Federation has threatened legal action to prevent the early release of PC Andrew Harper's killers, as a minister acknowledged the 'strength of feeling' among officers but said prison capacity constraints make the policy necessary.
Legal challenge threatened
Aileen O'Connor, chair of the Police Federation for Thames Valley, said the decision to release Jessie Cole and Albert Bowers would anger and demoralise serving officers. PC Harper, 28, was killed in August 2019 while responding to a quad bike theft in Sulhamstead, Berkshire.
Cole and Bowers were convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to 13 years each, making them eligible for release halfway through their terms. The Government's early release scheme, announced Monday, exempts certain crimes like rape and grooming, but manslaughter remains eligible.
Minister defends policy
Justice minister Jake Richards said he understood the 'strength of feeling' but stressed that without prison places, police would be unable to do their jobs. He noted that Harper's Law strengthens sentences for such offences but does not apply retrospectively.
Richards confirmed the two individuals would be subject to the new regime from October 1, saying it would be 'wrong to pick out individual cases' and that doing so would not be lawful.
