PM asks justice secretary to find way to keep PC Harper's killers in jail
Summary
Prime Minister Andy Burnham has asked the justice secretary to find a way to keep two men convicted of killing PC Andrew Harper from being released early under a new prison release scheme. The government is working on how to exclude these men, Jessie Cole and Albert Bowers, from being released after serving half their sentences.Key Facts
- PC Andrew Harper died in 2019 after being dragged behind a getaway car during a crime.
- Jessie Cole and Albert Bowers were sentenced to 13 years for manslaughter in 2020.
- Under a new law, they could be eligible for release in January after serving half their sentences.
- The law change allows some serious offenders to be released earlier to reduce prison crowding.
- The Prime Minister is asking the justice secretary to exclude Cole and Bowers from early release.
- Another offender, Henry Long, was sentenced to 16 years and cannot be released early due to a different sentence type.
- PC Harper’s widow, Lissie Harper, and others have called for the killers to stay in prison.
- About 5,000 prisoners may be released early under the new rules, down from earlier estimates after some crimes were exempted.
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