A senior police officer involved in the investigation of PC Andrew Harper's killers has expressed deep concern and dismay over the government's decision to allow early release for two of the men convicted in his death. Former Detective Superintendent Stuart Blaik described the plan as "appalling" and stated he "just don't understand why the Early Release Scheme is being used in these sort of circumstances."
PC Harper, a Thames Valley Police officer, was killed in August 2019 while responding to a quad bike theft. Jessie Cole and Albert Bowers were convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to 13 years in prison. They are now eligible for early release under a scheme that allows prisoners to apply after serving half their sentence, a change recently reinstated by Prime Minister Andy Burnham. The driver of the car that dragged PC Harper for a mile, Henry Long, received a 16-year sentence and is not eligible for release.
Blaik, who led the Thames Valley Police investigation, highlighted the lack of remorse shown by Cole and Bowers during custody and the trial. "Neither of them showed any remorse during their time in police custody or during their subsequent trial," Blaik told the BBC. He noted their behavior, including posing for cameras ahead of their trial, as further evidence of their lack of contrition.
PC Harper's widow, Lissie Harper, called the pair's eligibility for the scheme a "gut punch." In a statement, she described the court sentences as "pitiful" and criticized the government's decision, stating, "The sentences Andrew’s killers received were pitiful – and the fact we are hearing these absurd reasons for early release like prisons being too full is disgraceful and disgusting… the people making these decisions should be utterly ashamed of themselves."
Lissie Harper also expressed concern that the decision undermines the justice system and sends a message of weakness to criminals. "This decision puts dangerous people back on our streets, causes more heartache and suffering for other families in the future and makes a mockery of our justice system," she stated.
PC Harper's mother, Debbie Adlam, shared her disappointment, saying, "Andrew deserves better than this, and so do we." A petition initiated by the Police Federation urging intervention has garnered over 650,000 signatures. The Thames Valley Police Federation has also indicated a willingness to pursue legal action to prevent the early release.
Approximately 5,000 individuals are expected to be released early under the new Sentencing Act. While exemptions were made for rapists and child sex offenders, Justice Secretary Alex Norris stated that further exemptions could not be made due to prison capacity limitations. Norris acknowledged the distress of families affected by these decisions, noting, "It is important we've been able to take out the offenses that we have. Of course, we wanted to do more. I've had those conversations."
