PC Harper killers may be released early under new scheme

Two of the men convicted of killing Police Constable Andrew Harper could be released from prison early under a government scheme to address prison overcrowding, prompting outrage from the officer's family and colleagues. Albert Bowers and Jessie Cole, both sentenced to 13 years in 2020 for manslaughter, are now eligible for release after serving half their sentences, rather than the standard two-thirds.

PC Harper, a 28-year-old officer with Thames Valley Police, was killed on August 15, 2019, while responding to a reported quad bike theft near Sulhamstead, Berkshire. His ankles became entangled in a towrope attached to a car driven by Henry Long, who was attempting to flee with Bowers and Cole as passengers. Harper was dragged for more than a mile along country roads and sustained fatal injuries. Long, the driver, received a 16-year sentence and is not eligible for the early release program.

The Ministry of Justice informed Harper's mother, Debbie Adlam, of the potential sentence reduction in a letter, acknowledging the news "may be difficult" given the lasting impact of the crime. Adlam described the prospect as an insult beyond anything able to be put into words. She said it...