Albert Bowers, one of the teenagers convicted of the unlawful killing of PC Andrew Harper, will not be released early after a campaign by the officer's family. Bowers and Jessie Cole, who were both 17 at the time of the incident, had been considered for early release under a scheme aimed at reducing prison overcrowding.
PC Harper was killed on August 15, 2019, when he became trapped behind a car towing a stolen quad bike and was dragged for more than a mile. The officer, who had attended a burglary with a colleague, sustained catastrophic injuries and died at the scene. He had married his wife, Lissie, just four weeks prior to his death. Bowers and Cole were convicted of manslaughter, and Henry Long, who was 19 and driving the car, was convicted of murder. The three were sentenced to 13 years for manslaughter and 16 years for murder, respectively. They were all cleared of murder charges.
The decision to block Bowers' early release followed renewed distress for PC Harper's family. His widow, Lissie, and mother, Debbie Adlam, had to campaign to prevent the release of Bowers and Cole, feeling re-traumatized by the process. A petition to prevent the killers' release garnered over a million signatures.
Further controversy surrounding Bowers emerged this week with the revelation of a prior conviction for sexual assault. This detail, previously under the radar due to his age at the time of the offense and youth court anonymity rules, has added to public outcry. A prison source described Bowers as "evil, completely devoid of any morals or any humanity," and expressed conviction that he would kill again if released.
Bowers is serving his sentence at HMP Frankland, a high-security prison known as 'Monster Mansion' due to housing other high-profile inmates. According to the source, Bowers has worn PC Harper's death "like a medal" and acts like "king of the wing," although he has also been confronted by other inmates, revealing a vulnerability beneath his bravado. He is reportedly protected by other individuals within the traveller community, to which he and his co-defendants belong.
PC Harper, described as an "exemplary" officer, was known for his close family ties and love of the outdoors. His killers, in contrast, came from a background linked to the Four Houses Corner travellers' site in Berkshire. Bowers, who reportedly struggled with literacy and earned a living through theft and occasional landscape gardening, was taken out of school at age six. Investigators faced a lack of cooperation from the traveller community during the initial investigation into PC Harper's death, with items allegedly being burned.
In a sentencing statement, Mr Justice Edis acknowledged that no judicial action could restore PC Harper to his family or the public service he provided, noting the profound sympathy of the court and nation for his devastating loss. Bowers and Cole will now remain incarcerated until approximately March 2029, when they will have completed two-thirds of their sentences.
