'I am beyond appalled': PC Andrew Harper's widow blasts Burnham 'betrayal' with killers still set for early release
Jessie Cole and Albert Bowers were sentenced to 13 years in custody for manslaughter but are expected to be eligible for early release under the new Sentencing Act
PC Andrew Harper's widow has blasted the Government after it was revealed that two of her husband's killers will still be eligible for early release from October - despite fresh exemptions from the scheme announced today.
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On Monday, Prime Minister Andy Burnham announced that rapists and child sex offenders will be exempt from the upcoming changes to prison sentences.
The changes were spurred on by Lissie Harper's outrage at the prospect of two of her husband's three killers, Jessie Cole and Albert Bowers, being free to walk the streets within weeks.
But it has been revealed that the new exemptions will not prevent the pair from being let out from October.
Lissie, who is now a campaigner on behalf of victims' families, told LBC that she was "disgusted" and "beyond appalled" at the revelation that Cole and Bowers were still set to be released.
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She said: "I am beyond appalled and bristling with anger to hear that Andrew's killers are soon to be free to roam the streets.
"What abhorrent message does this send? How dare Ministers say the killing of a police officer is not enough of a 'sickening crime' that deserves the stiffest of punishments.
"The level of disrespect the Government are showing to Andrew and other victims - and to their loved ones such as me - is beyond contempt."
The outspoken widow called the refusal to keep Cole and Bowers behind bars "an absolute betrayal" by Burnham's government, adding "they are meant to be on our side".
Mrs Harper said: "The killers of Andrew have shown no remorse... they robbed us of our future. They are vile criminals, and they should remain in jail.
"To release them early from their already pitiful sentences is an affront to justice. The Government and the justice system have not just let me down... they have added insult to injury. They are meant to be on our side.
"This is an utter betrayal - and it's one I will not be able to forgive or forget."
PC Harper, 28, was killed in 2019 when his car was dragged down a country road by a car carrying three teenagers.
The main perpetrator of the killing, the car's driver Henry Long, will not be eligible for early release under the scheme.
Long is currently serving a 16-year jail sentence.
Cole and Bowers were passengers in the vehicle and are currently serving 13 years for manslaughter.
The Sentencing Act, which will replace repeated batches of early releases of prisoners as has been done in the past, was due to be implemented in September, but has been delayed by at least a month until October.
The government says the postponement will give probation officers more time to plan for releases and allow victims to have a say in the restrictions placed on offenders.
Even with the changes, it is expected that prison spots may reach full capacity again in spring next year.
When the prospect of Cole and Bowers being released was first revealed in July, Lissie said: "When I fought for Harper's Law, I was supported not only by the Conservative government of the day but by the Labour Party too.
"They pledged to support our cause and agreed that those who kill emergency workers should face tougher sentences because some crimes are so grave they demand meaningful punishment.
"That cross-party support helped make Harper's Law a reality. Today, it feels forgotten.
"For victims' families, this is not about politics. It is about whether a sentence means what a judge says it means.
"It is about whether justice is something we truly believe in, or something that can be negotiated away when it becomes inconvenient."
In response, Andy Burnham told LBC that no prisoners will be freed under the early release policy "until we have conducted an urgent review and done everything we can to minimise risk to the public".
After the review, Mr Burnham has made the call that rape, serious child sex and other grooming offences will be barred from the upcoming changes in a bid to protect the public.
It means they will see no changes to their sentences and will stay locked up for longer.
Exclusions are already in place for 18,000 offenders - those serving a life or an Extended Determinate Sentence.
Insiders say he wanted to go even further but was told the prison system was at risk of collapse if he exempted more cases.
Instead, the government are announcing another £ 10 million in funding for victims as part of a package of measures, including more tagging, longer periods of supervision, and more exclusion zones.
Probation services will also get the power to ban offenders from driving, pubs and football matches.
And the number of regions using chemical castration trials will double - in a bid to manage drivers of sexual offending.
The PM's also asked the Justice Secretary to see what can be done to speed up the building of new prisons, free up space in the women's estate, and remove foreign national offenders faster.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham said: "I fully understand the anger, anxiety and distress that’s been caused. I’ve heard that loud and clear.
"That’s why we’re making significant changes: offenders who have been sentenced for rape, serious child sex offences and other grooming offences will be excluded from the changes.
"I want to be honest - I wanted to go even further as I know there will still be concerns about other offenders having their sentence shortened.
"But it’s not possible without the prison system reaching capacity and collapsing, which would put public safety at much greater risk.
"That’s why we will also be introducing much tougher community measures. There will be a presumption that all offenders are tagged, longer periods of supervision and tough new rules, including restriction zones for offenders."
The adult male prison population is now at 98% capacity - with Labour blaming the Tories for 14 years of underinvestment in the system.
Mr Burnham's promised today to do "what’s necessary to fix the prison crisis."
Justice Secretary Alex Norris added: “The Prime Minister and I have reviewed these reforms, listened to the concerns and gone further to protect victims.
"These are decisions no Minister would ever want to take, but it is right these sickening crimes are excluded from these reforms.
"Victims will also have access to better support and reassurance that offenders leaving prison face tougher supervision and punishment."
The Victims' Commissioner for England and Wales, Claire Waxman OBE, welcomed the delay until October, saying the extra time must now "be used to urgently deliver the protections needed to keep victims and the public safe."
She added: "For many victims, the prospect of an offender being released earlier than expected has been a source of shock, distress and uncertainty. Many have already been let down by poor communication, receiving little clarity about what these changes could mean for them or when they might happen.
"The Lord Chancellor must now work at pace to rectify this and use the coming weeks to ensure victims receive the necessary information, support and reassurance they need to feel safe, while agencies across the criminal justice system put in place robust arrangements for assessing and managing risk.
"The Government has announced exclusions for those convicted of rape and certain child sexual abuse offences. While this will be well received by some victims, most will not fall within those categories, and exclusions alone cannot guarantee victim or public safety. Effective risk management, meaningful licence conditions, proper supervision and timely, trauma-informed communication and support remain critical."
Domestic Abuse Commissioner, Dame Nicole Jacobs, said: “The decision to not exclude domestic abuse perpetrators from this scheme is wrong and puts victims' lives at risk.
“As I told the Lord Chancellor just last week, the danger perpetrators pose to their victim should not be underestimated. These are individuals who are fixated on their victim and will stop at nothing to control and cause harm.
“While ministers have rightly recognised the need to improve communication with victims impacted and given a welcome injection of funding to specialist services, measures that will keep domestic abuse victims safe still appear to be an afterthought.
“It is critical that no abuser is released in October unless I am confident that victims’ safety is not being compromised. This means gathering information about the risk perpetrators pose to victims as part of a thorough risk assessment before they leave prison and providing probation the resources they need to manage more offenders rigorously in the community.
“I will continue to work with ministers to ensure victims and survivors of domestic abuse do not continue to bear the brunt of this crisis.”