A petition to prevent the early release of PC Andrew Harper's killers has gathered over 130,000 signatures. Launched on Tuesday by Aileen O'Connor, chair of Thames Valley Police Federation, the appeal had amassed 187,752 verified signatures at the time of writing. O'Connor, a Thames Valley Police officer for 19 years, also threatened legal action against the Government to block the release.
Decision Angers Officers
O'Connor said the decision to free 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. He died after being dragged along a country lane, caught in a strap attached to the back of a car as three teenagers fled the scene.
Sentences and Eligibility
Cole and Bowers, convicted of manslaughter, received 13-year sentences and are eligible for release halfway through. Henry Long, the driver, received 16 years and is not eligible for the scheme. PC Harper's widow, Lissie, called the prospect of early release "an affront to justice" and "an utter betrayal." His mother, Debbie Adlam, said the family was "bitterly disappointed," telling the BBC: "Andrew deserves better than this, and so do we."
Legal Challenge and Criticism
About 5,000 people are expected to be released early under sentencing changes, down from 6,000 after ministers exempted rapists and child sex offenders to tackle prison overcrowding. Justice Secretary Alex Norris apologised to some affected families, including PC Harper's. O'Connor, writing in The Sun, said she would not forget the Government's "inexplicable and unforgivable decision" and vowed: "We will throw everything at this through a proper legal challenge from KCs, barristers, you name it." The Prison Governors' Association criticised the late policy change, saying it put "huge pressure" on staff, making mistakes "more likely." Ministers have pledged 14,000 new prison spaces by 2031.
