PC Harper Killers Could Be Released Early, Senior Officer Says He Is Appalled

The senior investigating officer in the PC Andrew Harper murder case has told the BBC he is appalled that two of the killers may become eligible for early release next year under revised government plans to ease prison overcrowding.

The Case

PC Harper, 28, from Wallingford, Oxfordshire, died in 2019 from catastrophic injuries after being dragged behind the getaway car of three teenagers who had fled the scene of a quad bike theft. Jessie Cole and Albert Bowers were each sentenced to 13 years for manslaughter. They will become eligible for release after serving half their sentences under the new plans, rather than the previous two-thirds threshold. The driver, Henry Long, was jailed for 16 years for the same offence.

Reaction

Former Detective Superintendent Stuart Blaik, who led the Thames Valley Police investigation and left the force in 2023, publicly shared his views for the first time. Speaking to BBC Breakfast, he said it was particularly hard to understand why Cole and Bowers would qualify for early release. The judge who sentenced the killers, Mr Justice Edis, had described their case as very close to a case of murder in its seriousness. Blaik said allowing them to walk free would undermine the judicial process and impact police morale, and urged the government to have a long, hard think about the case. PC Harper's widow, Lissie Harper, is among those calling for Cole and Bowers to be denied early release.

The Government's Scheme

Under revised plans announced earlier this week, prisoners convicted of rape, grooming, and serious child sex offences are to be excluded from the early release scheme for England and Wales. However, those guilty of manslaughter may still be eligible.