PC Andrew Harper’s killers will stay in prison as Burnham changes early release scheme

Andy Burnham says ‘hundreds’ of people will remain in prison as part of changes to scheme designed to ease overcrowding

PC Andrew Harper’s killers will be excluded from the early release scheme after the prime minister said anyone convicted of unlawful killing would be exempt.

Andy Burnham said “hundreds” of people will remain in prison as part of changes to the scheme designed to ease overcrowding in prisons.

“We’ve come up with a proposal which will allow not just those guilty of manslaughter, the people involved in the killing of PC Harper, but those who have been convicted for indecent assault, those convicted for death by dangerous driving, all of these offenders now will remain in prison. Hundreds of them,” the prime minister told the BBC.

“I heard obviously what Andrew Harper’s family were saying. I mean who couldn’t? Nobody would want a position to arise where those guilty of killing a police officer are let out early from prison.”

Burnham said extra space in prisons would be created by deporting foreign prisoners and releasing some prisoners who are serving indefinite sentences.

The prime minister ordered a review of the scheme, which is being undertaken by the justice secretary, Alex Norris, and is set to be published when parliament returns from summer recess in September.

That followed widespread condemnation of the scheme when it emerged that Albert Bowers and Jessie Cole could be released halfway through their 13-year sentences.

In August 2019, Harper, 28, died when he was dragged down a country road in Berkshire by a car as Cole, Bowers and their accomplice Henry Long fled the scene of a quad bike theft.

All three were convicted of manslaughter in 2020. Cole and Bowers were sentenced to 13 years in prison and could have potentially been released early as part of the government’s drive to free up prison places.