Two men convicted of manslaughter in the death of PC Andrew Harper are set to become eligible for early release under a new government policy aimed at reducing prison overcrowding. Albert Bowes and Jessie Cole, both 17 at the time of the incident, were sentenced to 13 years in 2020 after being found guilty of their roles in the events leading to the officer’s death in August 2019.
PC Harper, a Thames Valley police officer, was responding to the theft of a quad bike near Sulhamstead, Berkshire, when his ankles became caught in a towrope trailing a car driven by a third individual, Henry Long. Forced to flee at speeds averaging 42mph, the vehicle dragged PC Harper for over a mile along a country road, causing fatal injuries. Bowes and Cole were passengers in the car; Long, who received a longer 16-year extended sentence, is excluded from the early release scheme.
Under Labour’s recently introduced Sentencing Act, serious offenders will qualify for automatic release after serving half their sentences, rather than the previous two-thirds, provided they have not seriously breached prison rules. This policy is expected to benefit more than 5,000 prisoners within its first ten months, including Bowes and Cole, who could be freed as early as the end of 2022 or September.
The announcement has sparked strong reactions from PC Harper’s family. His mother, Debbie Adlam, described the potential early release as an “insult beyond anything able to be put into words,” expressing deep distress at the prospect that her son’s killers might be freed sooner than anticipated. She voiced concerns about what she perceives as a growing leniency toward criminals in the justice system. Harper’s widow, Lissie Harper, who led the campaign for legislative changes following her husband’s death, also criticized the development. The campaign resulted in the 2022 enactment of “Harper’s Law,” which mandates life sentences for individuals who kill emergency workers while committing a crime—a measure supported by Labour at the time.
The government has acknowledged the sensitivity of the issue. A Ministry of Justice spokesperson extended condolences to the family and noted the challenging context in which the early release policy was implemented, citing a severe prison overcrowding crisis and concerns about law and order. The ministry stated that steps are being taken to increase prison capacity at a historically rapid pace and that decisions are being made to ensure the most dangerous offenders remain incarcerated.
Legal challenges had been mounted against the original sentences imposed by the Old Bailey, with the attorney-general unsuccessfully seeking to have them increased and the Court of Appeal rejecting appeals for reduction. While Bowes and Cole are eligible for early release under the new scheme, Long remains subject to stricter parole terms due to his extended sentence.
As the government pushes forward with broader criminal justice reforms, the controversy surrounding the early release of those involved in PC Harper’s death highlights ongoing tensions between efforts to address systemic issues within the prison system and public calls for accountability and justice.