TWO of PC Andrew Harper’s killers could be set for an early release from jail under Labour plans to tackle prison overcrowding, with his furious mother branding it an “insult beyond words”.
Albert Bowers and Jessie Cole were jailed for 13 years in 2020 for the manslaughter of the 28-year-old officer.
PC Andrew Harper was just 28-years-old when he was killed Credit: PA
His mother Deborah Adlam said the potential release of his killers was an ‘insult beyond words’ Credit: PA
The pair, who were 17 at the time of the offense in August 2019, were passengers in the car that dragged PC Harper for more than a mile along country roads when his ankles got caught in a towrope loop.
He had gone to investigate the theft of a quad bike when Bowers and Cole tried to escape in a vehicle driven by a third killer, Henry Long.
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PC Harper sustained serious injuries and died in the road.
But the pair are now eligible to be freed just halfway through their sentences under the Ministry of Justice early release scheme.
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Debbie Adlam, the police officer’s mother, was told that his killers may have their sentences reduced in a letter from the MoJ.
The heartbroken mother told The Telegraph that the potential early release of the killers was an “insult beyond anything able to be put into words”.
She told the outlet: “It makes me feel sick. Andrew’s life doesn’t get to come back. It feels like a slap in the face and an insult.
“People are getting a free pass for crime in this country. I like to try to be proud of my country, but this isn’t something to be proud of. There’s a lot going wrong.”
Albert Bowers was jailed for manslaughter Credit: PA
Jessie Cole was also jailed for manslaughter Credit: PA
It is unclear precisely when Bowers and Cole will become eligible for release, though it could be by the end of the year.
The driver, Long, is not eligible for early release under the scheme and will only be able to seek parole after serving half of his 16-year jail sentence.
The original sentences handed to the trio sparked a national outcry and a campaign for “Harper’s Law”, which introduced a mandatory life sentence for anyone convicted of killing emergency workers while committing a crime.
Led by the officer’s widow, Lissie Harper – who had married him just one month before his death – the campaign was backed by Labour at the time, alongside Tory amendments to enact the legislation.
A car dragged Andrew to his death when his ankles were caught in a towrope in 2019. Credit: PA
His wife Lissie Harper had married him just one month before his tragic death Credit: PA
Frontbenchers Nick Thomas-Symonds and Sarah Jones, now the policing minister, previously met Mrs Harper to offer their support.
The killers’ eligibility for early release will fuel fresh demands for Andy Burnham’s new government to rethink the controversial policy.
Under the scheme, serious criminals – including killers, rapists, and child groomers – are eligible to be freed halfway through their sentences rather than two-thirds, provided they have not committed serious prison rule breaches.
Criminals convicted of less serious offences can be freed as little as a third of the way through.
The scheme is written into law via the 2026 Sentencing Act and is expected to become operational this September, leading to the early release of more than 5,000 offenders over the following 10 months.
Before Mr Burnham became Prime Minister on Monday, sources confirmed he was reviewing whether and how to exempt rapists and child groomers in the face of a growing backlash.
An MoJ spokesman said: “This was a horrific crime, and our deepest sympathies are with Pc Andrew Harper’s family and friends.
“In 2024, the country was facing a prison crisis and a total breakdown of law and order, with judges ordered to stop jailing dangerous criminals.
“This government is committed to public safety: we are building prison places at the fastest rate since the Victorian era, and taking the difficult decisions needed to lock up the most dangerous offenders.”
