PM asks justice secretary to find way to keep PC Harper's killers in jail
Andy Burnham is confident a solution can be found to exclude two of PC Harper's killers from an early release scheme, the BBC understands.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham has instructed his justice secretary to devise a method to prevent PC Andrew Harper's killers, Jessie Cole and Albert Bowers, from being released early from prison. Burnham is confident that a solution can be reached to exclude the two individuals from the government's plan to ease prison overcrowding.
PC Harper, a 28-year-old emergency service worker, was killed in 2019 when he was dragged behind a getaway car by three teenagers who had fled the scene of a quad bike theft in Berkshire. Harper's mother, Debbie Adlam, expressed frustration over conflicting reports about her son's killers' potential release, stating that the issue is vital for the country as a whole.
The two convicted killers, Cole and Bowers, are set to become eligible for release next January after serving half of their 13-year sentences. If the government decides to exclude Cole and Bowers from the early release scheme, it could have a significant impact on other inmates serving similar sentences.
Written by urgent.news from BBC News's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
