PC Harper’s killers to remain in prison as top Labour figure makes announcement
Two out of three of Pc Harper’s killers, Cole and Bowers, are set to be released half way through their 13-year sentences.
PC Andrew Harper (Image: Thames Valley Police/PA Wire)
PC Andrew Harper’s killers will not be released from prison early, ministers have suggested.
Justice Secretary Alex Norris, under severe pressure from Prime Minister Andy Burnham, will outline a plan to keep PC Harper’s killers, as well as other serious criminals, behind bars.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham said he “understands” the fury over the potential early release of Jessie Cole and Albert Bowers, adding he is “increasingly confident” the fiends will remain locked up.
But in a move set to cause controversy, he said male prisoners could be transferred to female jails. Labour may also release prisoners jailed indefinitely.
And it comes after PC Harper’s mother, Debbie Adlam, revealed Downing Street officials called her late on Monday night.
Mr Burnham revealed in a bombshell Facebook post: “I have spent recent days considering in depth all of the issues involved and the range of advice I have received. I have been pushing for further progress. I have not accepted that it is impossible to do more. As a result, I have asked the Justice Secretary to fast-track the development of a plan for presentation to Parliament early next month to create more headroom within the prison system.”
More than 900,000 people have signed a petition calling for Jessie Cole and Albert Bowers to remain in prison.
Ms Adlam said said: “I had an interview yesterday, and it obviously must have shown something because I then had a call from Downing Street quite late last night.
“She said that he wanted to convey that he wants to do everything that he can and has more hope now of finding a resolution to this to try and keep them in prison.
“I think the fact that it’s actually come from Downing Street – I’ve got to try and have some faith in it, but at the same time, I have to protect my own feelings.”
Discussing the efforts to keep her son’s killers in jail, Ms Adlam said: “It feels like a hash. It feels like a rush job. It feels like nobody’s put enough effort into actually look for reasons or ways.
“We are having to push on every level, and it just doesn’t feel like, as a British citizen, I shouldn’t be doing this. They weren’t given extreme sentences, and I’m only asking for them to do what they were given.”
Speaking to LBC, Ms Rayner said: “The Prime Minister is really clear, the Justice Secretary will come to Parliament in September to lay out our plans on how we keep the most serious criminals in jail.”
Presenter Nick Ferrari clarified: “And that would include killers of police officers?”
Ms Rayner replied: “Yes.”
She continued: “The Prime Minister is really clear that these people that have created the most abhorrent crimes should not be released early and that he wants to set out in September with the Justice Secretary how we can resolve this issue.”
Speaking to broadcasters on Tuesday morning, housing minister Sally Jameson said: “It is important that we find a way, and I’m sure the Justice Secretary will find a way to make sure that Pc Harper’s killers are not released early.
“He’s looking for solutions, and a solution’s been identified.”
Pc Harper was fatally injured when he got caught in a strap attached to the back of a car and was dragged down a country road as the killers fled the scene of a quad bike theft in Sulhamstead, Berkshire, in 2019.
Two out of three of Pc Harper’s killers, Cole and Bowers, are set to be released half way through their 13-year sentences, after being convicted of manslaughter in 2020.
Some 5,000 people are expected to be released early under sentencing changes, down from 6,000 after some exemptions were announced as part of an urgent review of the scheme to tackle jail overcrowding.
Exemptions were made for those convicted of rape, serious child sex offences and grooming offences.
