Prime Minister Andy Burnham has said that PC Andrew Harper’s killers will remain behind bars as he announced changes to the early release scheme aimed at easing prison overcrowding. In an exclusive interview with Breakfast, Burnham stated that anyone convicted of unlawful killing, including all forms of manslaughter, will be excluded from the scheme. This policy shift prevents the early release of Jessie Cole and Albert Bowers, two of the individuals responsible for the officer’s death.
Background and Policy Impact
The 28-year-old officer was killed in 2019 while responding to a burglary in Berkshire. He was dragged along a road by a vehicle as three teenagers fled the scene of a quad bike theft. Following months of campaigning by the officer’s family and colleagues, Burnham addressed the public outcry: “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.”
Systemic Challenges
- Burnham confirmed that extra prison space will be created by deporting foreign prisoners and releasing some inmates currently serving indefinite sentences.
- The Prime Minister conceded the announcement would mean “hundreds” more people stay in prison, necessitating additional capacity in a system that is currently more than 97% full in England and Wales.
The government’s decision marks a significant intervention following passionate calls to block those convicted of manslaughter from benefiting from early release provisions within the Sentencing Act.
