UK PM orders review of release policy after Harper out

Prime Minister Andy Burnham has ordered a review of a controversial early prisoner release policy following intense backlash over the potential release of two men convicted of killing police officer Andrew Harper. The announcement on July 22, 2026, came after Harper's family condemned the prospect as a "deplorable" betrayal of justice.

The policy, established under the previous government's Sentencing Act, is scheduled to take effect in September and could see around 6,000 prisoners released early to alleviate severe overcrowding in prisons. The case drawing national attention involves Jessie Cole and Albert Bowers, who were convicted in 2020 of manslaughter for their roles in Harper's death. They were passengers in a vehicle and, having been 17 at the time, received 13-year sentences. The Ministry of Justice confirmed both might be eligible for release halfway through their terms. The driver, Henry Long, who received a 16-year sentence, is not eligible for the scheme.

Harper, a 28-year-old Thames Valley Police officer, died in August 2019 after being caught in a strap attached to a car and dragged along a country road while responding to a quad bike theft in Sulhamstead,...