The chief constable of Thames Valley Police has urged Prime Minister Andy Burnham to change the law and stop PC Andrew Harper's killers from being released early.
Chief Constable's Appeal
Jason Hogg, the chief constable of Thames Valley Police, has written to the Prime Minister, the Home Secretary and the Justice Secretary to make his opinion clear. He called the idea that Albert Bowers and Jessie Cole could be let out early "wrong".
Background of the Case
PC Harper died at the age of 28 after investigating the theft of a quad bike in 2019. Bowers and Cole tried to flee the scene in a car driven by a third man, and the officer was dragged more than a mile after his ankles got caught in a tow rope. They were locked up for 13 years for manslaughter.
Early Release Scheme
Under the scheme, the two killers could be released halfway through their sentences, provided they do not break any rules while inside. The Prime Minister has said he will review the scheme, with the Conservatives calling for emergency laws to remove rapists and paedophiles from it.
Reactions
PC Harper's widow previously called the possibility of early release "deplorable". She accused politicians of "making decisions from behind a desk that will have real and lasting consequences for victims’ families like mine".
Mr Hogg said: "The tragedy of Andrew Harper’s death has had a lasting impact, both within Thames Valley Police and across policing and our communities nationally. It is a real and constant reminder of the dedication of officers and staff who respond without hesitation to protect their communities. 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."
