Justice Secretary Apologises to PC Andrew Harper’s Family

Justice Secretary Alex Norris has apologised to the family of PC Andrew Harper after the government confirmed that two of the men involved in the police officer’s 2019 killing remain eligible for early release under a revised scheme to ease prison overcrowding.

PC Andrew Harper, 28, died in August 2019 after being dragged more than a mile along country roads in Berkshire. He had responded to reports of a stolen quad bike near Sulhamstead when his ankles became caught in a strap attached to a getaway car. The three teenagers involved were later convicted of manslaughter. Henry Long, the driver, received a 16-year sentence and is not eligible for the early release scheme. Jessie Cole and Albert Bowers, who were passengers, each received 13-year sentences and are eligible for release after serving half their terms under the current rules.

The case prompted the introduction of Harper’s Law, which introduced mandatory life sentences for those convicted of killing emergency workers in the course of committing another offence. Family members and police leaders have repeatedly noted that if the crime occurred today under that law, the sentences would have been life terms with no early release.

The controversy centres on the Sentencing Act introduced under the previous Labour government to address chronic prison overcrowding. Under the original policy, many offenders serving standard determinate sentences could become eligible for release after serving half their time rather than two-thirds, provided they met behavioural conditions. When reports emerged in July 2026 that Cole and Bowers could benefit, PC Harper’s widow Lissie Harper described the prospect as “deplorable,” and his mother Debbie Adlam called it an “insult” and a further letdown for her son.

Newly installed Prime Minister Andy Burnham ordered an urgent review and paused the scheme. On 3 August 2026, the government announced significant changes: offenders convicted of rape, serious child sex offences and grooming will be excluded. The first releases under the revised scheme are now scheduled to begin in October rather than September, with around 5,000 prisoners expected to become eligible in monthly tranches.

However, manslaughter convictions such as those of Cole and Bowers were not excluded. Norris contacted both Lissie Harper and Debbie Adlam to explain the decision and apologise. Adlam told the BBC she was “devastated” and felt the family was “paying the price,” adding that it felt like letting Andrew down again. Lissie Harper described the outcome as an “utter betrayal” and said she was “beyond appalled” that the killers could soon be free.

Burnham acknowledged the anger and distress caused, stating he “wanted to go even further” but that excluding more categories of offender risked the prison system collapsing and placing the public at greater risk. Officials have pointed to plans for tougher post-release supervision, including tagging, exclusion zones and other conditions. Norris has said the government aims to break the cycle of emergency releases through accelerated prison building.

Opposition figures, including Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch and shadow justice secretary Nick Timothy, argued the changes do not go far enough and criticised the decision to allow killers of a serving police officer to remain eligible. Thames Valley Police Chief Constable Jason Hogg had earlier described the potential early release as “wrong.”

The episode highlights the ongoing tension between managing severe prison capacity pressures and public confidence in sentencing, particularly in high-profile cases involving the death of emergency workers. Cole and Bowers are expected to become eligible in the coming months, with possible release dates in early 2027 depending on the final implementation details. The family has indicated they will continue to campaign against the decision.