The mother of PC Andrew Harper has described the potential early release of two of her son's killers as an 'insult'. Albert Bowers and Jessie Cole were passengers in a car that dragged the 28-year-old police officer for more than a mile along a country road in 2019. PC Harper had attempted to stop the group towing a stolen quad bike in Sulhamstead, Berkshire.
Bowers and Cole, who were 17 at the time, were jailed for 13 years for manslaughter. They may now be freed early under the Ministry of Justice's (MOJ) early-release scheme.
Mother's reaction
PC Harper's mother, Debbie Adlam, said she received a letter from the MOJ warning that Bowers and Cole could be released. She told The Telegraph: 'It makes me feel sick. Andrew's life doesn't get to come back. It feels like a slap in the face and an insult.'
The third man involved in PC Harper's death, driver Henry Long, was jailed for 16 years and is not eligible for the scheme. Adlam added that people are 'getting a free pass for crime'.
Early-release scheme details
The programme begins in September and will see more than 5,000 offenders released over the following 10 months to free up prison space. Some serious offenders will be released after serving half their jail time if they have not committed serious disciplinary breaches. Those convicted of less serious offences could be freed after serving just a third of their sentence.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham has considered excluding rapists and child groomers from the policy, but as it is enshrined in the 2026 Sentencing Act, any changes would require a new law.
Police Federation criticism
The Police Federation for England and Wales has criticised the prospect of Bowers and Cole's early release as 'disgusting'. Deputy national chair Brian Booth said: 'Police officers from across the country stood side by side to honour Andrew Harper at his funeral. They and every serving officer will be utterly sickened at the prospect of Bowers and Cole being back on the streets so soon.'
Harper's Law
Following PC Harper's death, his widow Lissie Harper campaigned for harsher sentences for the manslaughter of emergency workers on duty. Harper's Law introduced mandatory life sentences for anyone who commits the manslaughter of an emergency worker on duty.
An MOJ spokesman said: 'This was a horrific crime, and our deepest sympathies are with PC Andrew Harper's family and friends. In 2024, the country was facing a prison crisis and a total breakdown of law and order, with judges ordered to stop jailing dangerous criminals. This government is committed to public safety: we are building prison places at the fastest rate since the Victorian era, and taking the difficult decisions needed to lock up the most dangerous offenders.'
