Two of the men convicted of killing PC Andrew Harper are expected to be barred from early release from prison due to a planned law change by Justice Secretary Alex Norris. Albert Bowers and Jessie Cole, who were convicted of the manslaughter of the Thames Valley Police officer in 2019, are reportedly set to be excluded from the current early release scheme.
PC Harper was killed in August 2019 when he responded to a quad bike theft in Berkshire. He became entangled in a strap attached to a vehicle as the suspects fled the scene and was dragged down a country road. Bowers and Cole were passengers in the car.
Under the existing early release scheme rules, Bowers and Cole, who were each sentenced to 13 years, would have been eligible for release next year, having served half of their sentences. The driver, Henry Long, who received a 16-year sentence, is not eligible for early release.
The early release scheme, which began in September 2024, was introduced with the aim of easing prison overcrowding. It permits certain inmates to be released after serving 40% of their fixed-term sentence, a reduction from the previous 50% threshold. This expansion is part of the 2026 Sentencing Act.
Justice Secretary Alex Norris is reportedly carrying out a review of the scheme and is expected to introduce secondary legislation to amend the Sentencing Act. This proposed change would specifically exclude those convicted of unlawful act manslaughter from eligibility for early release. Unlawful act manslaughter occurs when an individual causes a death while engaged in a separate illegal act.
This exemption is not expected to extend to voluntary manslaughter, which involves an intentional killing with a partial defense like sudden provocation, or gross negligence manslaughter, where death results from extreme carelessness. Reports also indicate that domestic abusers may still be eligible for early release under the proposed changes.
The move follows widespread condemnation of the potential early release of PC Harper's killers. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak had previously declined to confirm the specific law change, referring to it as speculation, but ordered a review of the scheme. Andy Burnham, who is responsible for the Justice Secretary's review, had previously pledged to do "everything possible" to prevent their early release.
Harper's Law, enacted following the officer's death, mandates a life sentence for anyone convicted of killing an emergency worker while committing a crime. The government has further introduced a presumption for whole-life orders for those convicted of murdering police, prison, or probation officers.
A government spokesperson stated that the death of PC Andrew Harper was a "horrific crime" and that "thoughts are with his family and friends." The spokesperson added that the government "share the anger from the police community that we are in this position."