PRIME Minister Andy Burnham has said he’ll do everything in his power to stop the early release of PC Andrew Harper’s killers.
After days of confusion and mounting pressure on the government, the PM said he was “increasingly confident” the cop’s smirking killers would remain behind bars.
The PM said he was doing everything in his power to ensure PC Andrew Harper’s killers were not released early Credit: PA
Under Labour’s new early release scheme, the cop’s killers could be let out after serving only half of their sentences Credit: PA
It follows Angela Rayner’s confirmation on Tuesday that Albert Bowers and Jessie Cole would not be let out under the early release scheme, despite the terms of their exemption not being clearly outlined.
“I am turning over every stone,” he told LBC.
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“I am looking at everything. I am pushing the system to go further.
“That’s the way I do my job. I listen to people.”
RELEASE FURY
Every police chief urges Burnham to stop early release of PC Harper’s killers
‘VILE’ JIBES
PC Harper killers ‘made sneering comments about widow as they went to court’
PC Harper was killed in 2019, after he was fatally dragged behind a car Credit: PA
Mum Debbie Adlam said the whole affair was a ‘rush job’ Credit: Darren Fletcher
The PM admitted there was “more that could be done” with regards to this case but that freeing up prison space needn’t be compromised.
“I am confident that we can develop a plan to free up more spaces in the prison estate, so that we can ensure more serious offenders serve their full term,” he said.
Addressing PC Harper’s devastated sister Aimee Harper – who caught the men “sniggering” in court – Mr Burnham said he “felt” for her and was doing everything he could to “lessen [her] anguish”.
He added that IPP prisoners and the return of foreign national offenders warranted similar, considered approaches and that he would not make any “knee-jerk” comments there and then.
It comes after every single police chief in the UK signed a letter on Tuesday urging Andy Burnham to employ “every lawful option” to keep Bowers and Cole behind bars.
In an unprecedented move, 50 top police officers united to condemn the government’s justice reforms in a joint missive published by the National Police Chiefs’ Council.
Signatories include the heads of 48 regional forces, alongside leaders from the National Crime Agency and Jersey Police.
The chiefs expressed their alarm over the impact changes to the release policy could have on confidence in the justice system, policing and public protection.
As it stands, Bowers and Cole would be eligible for release under Labour’s new scheme to free up cells, which will see 5000 inmates let out over the course of ten months, starting from October.
After halting the release of over a 1,000 rapists and child sex offenders last week, Mr Burnham said he had reached “the limits” of his intervention powers.
But on Monday night, a government spokesperson said the PM had asked Justice Secretary Alex Norris to consider “further options” to keep more serious offenders – including Andrew’s killers – locked up.
It remains unclear how this exemption will be enforced, given the government has already ruled out implementing special measures for killers of emergency workers.
Exempting “one or two” offenders convicted of manslaughter would be untenable, Downing Street said.
Detective superintendent Stuart Blaik for Thames Valley police suggested excluding those who were more guilty of manslaughter, including PC Harper’s killers, from the scheme.
There are currently 950 prisoners serving sentences for manslaughter in the UK – with hundreds due to be released under the new scheme, instigated by former PM Keir Starmer.
As confusion mounts around PC Harper’s killers’ release, his mum Debbie Adlam expressed the agony of not knowing whether justice will be served.
She told ITV’s Good Morning Britain: “I just don’t know how to think, how to feel. It’s turned me inside out.
Separately, she said: “It feels like a hash…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. They [Bowers and Cole] weren’t given extreme sentences.
“I’m only asking for them to do what they were given.”
PC Harper, 28, was killed in 2019 after he got caught in ropes towing a stolen quad bike and was dragged along the road.
Henry Long, then 18, who was driving the vehicle, received 16 years in 2020 for manslaughter but will not be eligible for release.
Bowers and Cole, then 17, were also found guilty of manslaughter, but received 13 years due to their younger age.
