Pc Harper’s mother visits scene of son’s death as 675,000 sign petition
Police constable Andrew Harper’s mother has visited the scene of her son’s death as a petition to stop his killers being released from prison early approached 700,000 signatures.
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.
Jessie Cole and Albert Bowers could be freed halfway through their 13-year sentences under Government plans for early releases designed to tackle overcrowding in jails, which has prompted widespread condemnation of the scheme.
The Government has resisted pressure to exempt the two men from the early release scheme, part of the Sentencing Act passed earlier this year which cut the minimum amount of time many offenders would have to spend in prison.
Pc Harper’s mother Debbie Adlam, who earlier this week said the family was “bitterly disappointed” by the Government’s decision, visited the scene of her son’s death on Thursday.
Aileen O’Connor, chairwoman of Thames Valley Police Federation, who started the petition this week, said: “The public have spoken loudly and clearly that they are behind our campaign, which is absolutely amazing – and I just want to thank each and every one of the people who have taken the time to sign our petition.
“We will continue to drive this. We will not stop. Please keep signing. Please keep sharing.
“My ask is that the Prime Minister, the Home Secretary and everybody else in Government gets on the right side of this and does the right thing and makes the changes that keep the two killers behind bars.”
On Friday afternoon the petition had more than 675,000 signatures.
Detective Superintendent Stuart Blaik, who led the investigation into 28-year-old Pc Harper’s death, told the BBC he was “deeply concerned and appalled” by the prospect of early release for Cole and Bowers, and that they should “not be afforded the opportunity”.
He said: “Neither of them showed any remorse during their time in police custody or during their subsequent trial.
“I hope the Government takes account of the strength of public feeling on this issue, which has been both clear and widespread.”
Thames Valley Police Chief Constable Jason Hogg said he was receiving legal advice on whether the force could join a legal challenge mooted by Ms O’Connor to prevent Cole and Bowers being freed.
The officer’s widow Lissie Harper said the Government “has punched us in the gut… they should be ashamed of themselves”.
“Hopefully we can make the current Government come to their senses and realise we cannot put people like this back on our streets,” she said.
“Justice should mean justice and serving the sentence given.”
Defence Secretary Wes Streeting said it was “not OK” that the killers of Pc Harper were eligible for early release.
He told the BBC the Government should “never have been put in a position” where prisons were so full that offenders were going to be let out at an earlier stage of their sentence.
“We take this extremely seriously, not least in the light of the concerns raised by the family of Pc Harper,” Mr Streeting said during a visit in Scotland on Friday.
Acknowledging the concerns raised by victims of crime and bereaved relatives, he said: “I’m not expecting any of those people to think that early release is OK, because it’s not OK.
“We should never have been put in a position where prisons across the country were so full to bursting that any government, let alone this Government, had to contemplate the early release of people from serious convictions that have led to being in prison in the first place.”
Those released will face tougher probation conditions, including electronic monitoring, random drug testing and possible bans from driving, pubs and events such as football matches.
The driver of the vehicle in the Pc Harper case, Henry Long, received a 16-year sentence and will not be eligible for release under the scheme.
Credit: Standard.co.uk
