Labour Faces Backlash After Revealing Why Two Men Involved In PC Andrew Harper’s Death Could Be Released Early

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The family of PC Andrew Harper have strongly criticised Labour’s early release scheme after learning that two of the men involved in his death could be released from prison much earlier than expected. They say the decision has caused them fresh pain and believe it is a serious injustice.

Albert Bowes and Jessie Cole were both sentenced to 13 years in prison in 2020 after being found guilty of the manslaughter of PC Harper. Under the Government’s new early release rules, they could now be freed after serving only half of their sentences instead of spending longer behind bars.

Bowes and Cole were both 17 years old when the crime happened. They were passengers in the car that dragged PC Harper along the road after his ankles became trapped in a tow rope while he tried to stop the theft of a quad bike.

PC Harper was just 28 years old. He had finished his shift and was looking forward to starting his honeymoon after recently marrying his wife, Lissie. However, when he received a report about the theft during the early hours of August 15, 2019, near Sulhamstead in Berkshire, he immediately went to help.

As the suspects tried to escape, the car, driven by Henry Long, sped away with PC Harper caught in the tow rope. He was dragged for more than a mile along country roads, suffering devastating injuries. The injuries were so severe that emergency responders initially struggled to recognise him.

The announcement that Bowes and Cole could soon be released has angered PC Harper’s family, fellow police officers and many politicians. His mother, Debbie Adlam, described the decision as an insult that was impossible to put into words. She said it made her feel sick because her son would never get his life back, while those responsible could soon regain their freedom. She also said it felt like another painful blow for the family and showed that criminals were being given too many chances.

The Thames Valley Police Federation also condemned the decision. Chair Aileen O’Connor said police officers across the country would be disgusted if the two men were allowed back onto the streets. She said they had never shown real remorse for what happened and argued they should remain in prison for the full length of their sentences.

She added that PC Harper’s wife and family are effectively serving a life sentence because of their loss, and the least they deserve is for those responsible to serve every day of their punishment. She said the Federation would continue pressing ministers to stop the early release and insisted that Andrew deserved nothing less.

Following PC Harper’s death, his widow, Lissie Harper, led a national campaign for tougher sentences for people who kill emergency workers while committing crimes. Her campaign resulted in Harper’s Law, which introduced mandatory life sentences for offenders convicted of killing emergency workers in those circumstances.

Shadow Justice Secretary Nick Timothy also criticised the plans, saying Labour had promised not to reduce sentences for the worst offenders. He argued it would be a disgrace if those involved in PC Harper’s death were released early.

Television personality Penny Lancaster, who serves as a volunteer police officer, also backed calls for the two men to remain in prison.

Bowes and Cole are among thousands of prisoners expected to benefit from Labour’s Sentencing Act, which aims to reduce overcrowding in prisons. From September, some violent and sexual offenders will be able to leave prison after serving half of their sentence instead of the current two-thirds. Other offenders could be released even earlier if they show good behaviour while in prison.

Henry Long, who drove the car during the incident, is not eligible for the same early release scheme. However, he will be able to apply for parole after serving half of his sentence.

The sentences handed to the three men caused widespread anger when they were first announced, with many people believing they were too lenient. The latest decision has renewed calls for the Government to rethink its early release policy.

A Ministry of Justice spokesperson described the killing of PC Harper as a horrific crime and said the Government’s thoughts remain with his family and friends. The spokesperson said the prison system had faced a serious crisis and that the Government was increasing prison capacity while taking difficult decisions to keep the justice system working.

Senior police officers have also warned that releasing more offenders early will place extra pressure on police forces, who will have to monitor offenders, manage the risk of reoffending and reassure victims. They said the changes would create significant extra work for policing across England and Wales.

Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander defended the policy, saying the criminal justice system had been close to collapse when Labour came to power in 2024. She said that without the early release measures, prisons would have run out of space, courts would have been unable to sentence offenders and police officers could have struggled to make arrests because there would have been nowhere to hold new prisoners.