A petition to prevent the early release of the killers of PC Andrew Harper has garnered over one million signatures, intensifying pressure on UK officials. The campaign aims to keep Henry Long, Albert Bowers, and Jessie Cole behind bars.
PC Harper, 28, was killed in August 2019 while responding to a quadbike theft in Berkshire. While pursuing the thieves in a vehicle, his foot became entangled in a tow rope, and he was dragged for over a mile. Long was sentenced to 16 years for manslaughter, while Bowers and Cole received 13-year sentences in 2020.
However, Bowers and Cole are currently eligible for early release under a government initiative to alleviate prison overcrowding, with the scheme set to begin in October. The petition, organized by Aileen O'Connor, Chair of the Thames Valley Police Federation, seeks to halt their release. As of Friday morning, it had surpassed one million signatures.
PC Harper's mother, Debbie Adlam, has expressed her profound distress and anger at the prospect of their early release, stating it would make her son's death feel