More than half a million individuals have signed a petition urging the Government to take action to ensure that the individuals responsible for the death of PC Andrew Harper remain incarcerated.
Albert Bowers and Jessie Cole were found guilty of manslaughter in 2020 following the tragic incident involving PC Andrew Harper, a Thames Valley Police officer, in 2019.
Around 5,000 individuals are set to be released early due to changes in sentencing, reduced from an initial estimate of 6,000 after certain offenders, such as rapists and serious child sex offenders, were excluded from the scheme aimed at addressing prison overcrowding. Despite this, Cole and Bowers could potentially be released halfway through their 13-year prison terms.
Contrastingly, the driver of the vehicle, Henry Long, received a 16-year sentence and is not eligible for early release under the Government’s initiative. PC Harper’s family has expressed dismay and frustration at the decision not to exempt Cole and Bowers from the program.
Both Conservative and Labour administrations have implemented early release plans in response to the strain on British prisons’ capacity. According to the Institute for Government, men’s prisons are currently operating at around 97% capacity, a decrease from the 99% level recorded in the summer of 2024.
PC Harper, aged 28, was responding to a theft report near Stanford Dingley in Berkshire on August 15, 2019. While pursuing the suspects in a SEAT Toledo towing a stolen quad bike, he got entangled in a strap used for towing the vehicle, resulting in his tragic death that night.
Bowers and Cole’s potential release has sparked outrage, prompting a petition initiated by Aileen O’Connor, chair of the Thames Valley Police Federation.
O’Connor criticized the decision, stating, “This move further wounds already unhealed scars. It is disrespectful to Andrew’s family, friends, colleagues, and the entire policing community.”
PC Harper’s widow, Lissie Harper, has called on the government to support the petition, emphasizing the importance of ensuring that justice is served and that individuals responsible for such crimes do not return to society.
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