The widow of Police Constable Andrew Harper, who tragically lost his life while responding to a quad bike theft just hours before he was due to begin his honeymoon, has unveiled a stone memorial in his honour. Speaking at the ceremony, Lissie Harper described the moment her 'life changed forever' and paid a heartfelt tribute to her late husband.
A Hero Remembered
PC Harper, aged 28, died on August 15, 2019, after being dragged along a road by fleeing criminals in Sulhamstead, Berkshire. He had been scheduled to finish his shift and start his honeymoon with wife Lissie later that day. Three teenagers were later convicted of his manslaughter in July 2020. His death prompted the introduction of Harper's Law, which imposes mandatory life sentences for those convicted of manslaughter of emergency workers on duty.
On Thursday, Mrs. Harper delivered an emotional speech as the Police Memorial Trust unveiled a stone in his name at Reading Town Hall. She said: 'In 2019, our lives changed forever. The world lost a hero but I lost the person I was meant to grow old with. He was proud to serve as a police officer but, to me, he was so much more. He was my partner, my strength, and my first love. I will always carry him with me - in my heart, in my memories, and in everything he taught me about strength, compassion, and courage.'
She added: 'Andrew never took life for granted. He was the epitome of what a police officer should be - willing to serve and protect at all costs.'
Harper's Law Campaign
Following PC Harper's death, Mrs. Harper successfully campaigned for Harper's Law, which was enacted in 2022 as part of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act. The law extends mandatory life sentences to anyone who commits the manslaughter of an emergency worker on duty, including police, prison officers, firefighters, and paramedics. It is not retrospective, so PC Harper's killers cannot have their sentences extended. Mrs. Harper was awarded an MBE in 2022 for her services to victims of violent crime and their families.
Police Chief's Tribute
Thames Valley Police Chief Constable Jason Hogg attended the unveiling ceremony and recalled the 'shock' of PC Harper's death. He said: 'I remember standing with officers in the aftermath of something that will stay with me for the rest of my life. Andrew was 28 years old. He was doing his job. He was responding to a call for help, serving the public, protecting his community. There was nothing extraordinary about that decision because for police officers across this country that sense of duty is part of everyday service. And yet the risk is always there.'
He added: 'For Andrew's colleagues, this stone is a place of remembrance. For his family, it is a lasting tribute to who he was and what he stood for. And for the community he served, it is a reminder that the safety we so often take for granted is secured by people willing to step forward on our behalf.'
Convictions and Sentences
Henry Long, 19, was sentenced to 16 years, and 18-year-olds Jessie Cole and Albert Bowers received 13 years for the manslaughter of the Thames Valley Police traffic officer. Long, the group's leader, admitted manslaughter, while passengers Cole and Bowers were convicted after a trial at the Old Bailey. All three were acquitted of murder by the jury.
