The mother of PC Andrew Harper has condemned the potential early release of two of her son's killers as an 'insult', after the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) informed her that Albert Bowers and Jessie Cole could be freed under a new early-release scheme.
Killers could walk free after serving half their sentence
Bowers and Cole, who were 17 at the time, were passengers in a car that dragged PC Harper, 28, for more than a mile along a country road in Sulhamstead, Berkshire, in 2019. The officer had attempted to stop the group from towing a stolen quad bike. Both were jailed for 13 years for manslaughter the following year. Under the MoJ's early-release programme, which begins in September, they could be released after serving half their sentence if they have not committed serious disciplinary breaches in prison.
PC Harper's mother, Debbie Adlam, said she received a letter from the MoJ warning that Bowers and Cole could be freed. 'It makes me feel sick. Andrew's life doesn't get to come back. It feels like a slap in the face and an insult,' she told The Telegraph. She added that people are 'getting a free pass for crime'. The third man involved, driver Henry Long, was jailed for 16 years and is not eligible for the scheme.
Scheme to release over 5,000 offenders
The early-release programme will see more than 5,000 offenders released over 10 months to free up prison space. Some serious offenders will be freed after serving half their jail time, while those convicted of less serious offences could be released after just a third of their sentence. Prime Minister Andy Burnham has considered excluding rapists and child groomers from the policy, but any changes would require a new law, as the scheme is enshrined in the 2026 Sentencing Act.
The Police Federation for England and Wales has criticised the prospect of Bowers and Cole's early release as 'disgusting'. Deputy national chair Brian Booth said: 'Police officers from across the country stood side by side to honour Andrew Harper at his funeral. They and every serving officer will be utterly sickened at the prospect of Bowers and Cole being back on the streets so soon.'
Harper's Law introduced after PC's death
Following PC Harper's death, his widow Lissie Harper campaigned for harsher sentences for the manslaughter of emergency workers on duty. This led to Harper's Law, which introduced mandatory life sentences for anyone who commits the manslaughter of an emergency worker. An MoJ spokesman said: 'This was a horrific crime, and our deepest sympathies are with PC Andrew Harper's family and friends. In 2024, the country was facing a prison crisis and a total breakdown of law and order, with judges ordered to stop jailing dangerous criminals. This government is committed to public safety: we are building prison places at the fastest rate since the Victorian era, and taking the difficult decisions needed to lock up the most dangerous offenders.'
