PC Harper killers' potential early release is an 'insult', says his mother
The mother of PC Andrew Harper has expressed outrage that two of her son's killers may be eligible for early release under a new government scheme. While the driver of the vehicle is ineligible, the two passengers could see their sentences reduced, which the family describes as an insult.
Why it matters
This story touches on the tension between prison capacity management and the public's expectation of justice for victims of violent crime.
Image source, Family photo Image caption, Police officer Andrew Harper suffered fatal injuries while on duty in 2019
The mother of police officer Andrew Harper has said it feels like an "insult" that two of her son's killers may be eligible for early release from prison.
PC Harper was 28 years old when he sustained fatal injuries while responding to a quad bike theft in Sulhamstead , Berkshire, in August 2019.
He died after getting caught in a strap attached to the back of a car and dragged down a country road as three teenage suspects fled the scene of the burglary.
Jessie Cole and Albert Bowers, who were passengers in the car and both 17 at the time, were handed 13 years in custody for manslaughter after a trial at the Old Bailey in 2020.
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