STORY
Prime Minister Andy Burnham has said he is “increasingly confident” that two of the men convicted over the killing of PC Andrew Harper can be prevented from being released early from prison. Albert Bowers and Jessie Cole are serving 13 year sentences for manslaughter following the death of the Thames Valley Police officer in 2019.
PC Harper, 28, died while responding to the theft of a quad bike in Sulhamstead, Berkshire. He became caught in a tow rope attached to the thieves’ vehicle and was dragged for around a mile. Bowers and Cole were passengers in the vehicle, while Henry Long was driving. All three were convicted of manslaughter, with Long receiving an extended sentence with a 16 year custodial term.
Under the Government’s early release arrangements, Bowers and Cole could become eligible for release after serving half of their sentences rather than the two thirds originally ordered when they were sentenced in 2020. Long’s extended sentence means he is not in the same position. The inclusion of Bowers and Cole in the scheme has led to protests from PC Harper’s family, police representatives and politicians.
Downing Street had said on Monday that it was not possible simply to exempt one or two individual prisoners convicted of manslaughter from the scheme. Burnham has now instructed Justice Secretary Alex Norris to develop further proposals which could allow more serious offenders to remain in custody by creating additional capacity elsewhere in the prison system.
The options being considered include increasing the removal of foreign national offenders, addressing the number of prisoners still being held under indeterminate sentences for public protection and potentially using parts of the female prison estate to accommodate male prisoners. Burnham has asked for a plan to be brought before Parliament in early September and said the Government would consult other political parties before presenting its proposals.
The Prime Minister said the additional measures could allow the Government to reduce the number of prisoners released early and, in cases involving the most serious offenders, prevent early release altogether. He specifically cited those convicted over PC Harper’s killing. Burnham also said his office remained in contact with Harper’s family.
Thames Valley Police and Crime Commissioner Matthew Barber has separately proposed changing the Sentencing Act so that anyone convicted of manslaughter where an emergency worker dies while carrying out their duties would be excluded from the early release scheme. More than 879,000 people have signed a Thames Valley Police Federation petition calling for Bowers and Cole to remain in prison.