Fifty police and law enforcement leaders from across Britain have signed an open letter to the Prime Minister demanding that PC Andrew Harper's killers remain in prison. The letter, which includes three key demands, comes as Andy Burnham faces increasing pressure from victims' families not to allow Jessie Cole and Albert Bowers, who were sentenced to 13 years for the officer's manslaughter in 2020, to be freed in January.
Three Key Demands in the Letter
The officials asked the Government to consider three measures. They wanted every lawful option examined to determine whether the earlier release of those responsible for the PC's death could be prevented. They also requested additional public protection safeguards in cases involving the most serious offenders whenever future changes to sentencing on release arrangements are considered. Thirdly, they demanded that victims and bereaved families must be "properly considered" whenever significant changes are made to sentencing or release arrangements.
Among the signatories are Greater Manchester Police Chief Constable Stephen Watson and Commissioner Pete O’Doherty of the City of London Police. The Prime Minister has ordered an urgent review into the controversial plan, which would have meant most adults serving a standard prison sentence would be released earlier than originally set from October 1, with prisoners convicted of less serious offences expected to leave jail after a third of their sentence.
Justice Secretary Tasked with Finding Solutions
Justice Secretary Alex Norris has been tasked by Mr Burnham with finding ways to keep the serious offenders in prison. Mr Burnham said he is "increasingly confident" the killers of PC Harper will not be released early, but that hasn't stopped the open letter being published.
The letter reads: "Dear Prime Minister, We welcome your intervention regarding the potential earlier release of those responsible for the death of PC Andrew Harper, and your instruction to the Justice Secretary to examine what can lawfully be done."
It continues: "When the state asks people to run towards danger on behalf of the public, they should be able to trust that the justice system will stand behind them when the worst happens. PC Andrew Harper's case also raises a wider question. When someone is sentenced for an exceptionally serious offence, how much confidence can victims, bereaved families and the public place in that sentence if subsequent changes to release arrangements result in an offender being released significantly earlier than originally anticipated? This question extends far beyond policing."
Concerns for All Victims and Families
The letter also expresses concern for all victims and families affected by serious offending sentencing changes: "Families across the country are now facing the distress of learning that offenders may be released earlier than they understood when sentence was passed. We do not suggest that the grief of a police family is greater than that of any other bereaved family, nor that the life of an emergency worker has greater value. Our concern is for all victims and families affected by serious offending sentencing changes."
The letter highlights PC Harper's legacy: "PC Andrew Harper lost his life while protecting the public and serving his community. Following his death, Lissie Harper campaigned for a change in the law, leading Parliament to establish Harper's Law, recognising the exceptional risks emergency workers take while protecting others."
The signatories include chief constables from all 43 police forces in England and Wales, as well as the heads of the Police Service of Northern Ireland, British Transport Police, Civil Nuclear Constabulary, Ministry of Defence Police, National Crime Agency, and the State of Jersey Police. The letter concludes: "We are also collectively concerned that an approach to early release which does not sufficiently distinguish the most serious offending risks undermining public safety, victim confidence and wider confidence in the criminal justice system."
