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In 2020, Cole and Bowers received 13-year sentences for manslaughter. Recent amendments to the Sentencing Act now allow them to qualify for release as early as next January. Previously, those convicted of serious violent or sexual offenses, including manslaughter, were required to serve no less than two-thirds of their sentences before being eligible for parole. However, the revised rules have altered this threshold.
Earlier statements from Downing Street indicated that excluding a small number of manslaughter offenders from the early release scheme would be difficult. Despite this, the BBC has learned that Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham has directed his justice secretary to seek a method to remove Cole and Bowers from the early release program, which was introduced to alleviate overcrowding in prisons. The Prime Minister later expressed growing confidence that expanding prison capacity would reduce the number of early releases and asserted an intention to block early release for the most serious offenders, specifically mentioning those convicted in the case of PC Andrew Harper’s killing.
The family of PC Andrew Harper has been deeply affected by the situation. His widow, Aislinn Adlam, described the conflicting information as increasingly frustrating and said it has caused turmoil within her family. Adlam acknowledged the call from Downing Street and the need to maintain some trust while also protecting her own feelings. PC Harper, a 28-year-old Thames Valley Police officer from Wallingford, Oxfordshire, tragically died in 2019 after being dragged behind a vehicle used by teenagers fleeing a quad bike theft. Adlam highlighted the public’s attention on the case, emphasizing its national significance and criticizing what she perceives as a rushed and poorly handled process. She stressed that Cole and Bowers received sentences that were not harsh, and she simply wants them to serve the terms set by the court.
Support for preventing Cole and Bowers’ early release has been voiced by several officials. Aileen O’Connor, chairman of the Thames Valley Police Federation, expressed cautious optimism upon hearing that Burnham is pursuing their exclusion from the early release scheme. Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, she recognized the daily risks police officers face and underscored the importance of government protection for law enforcement, given the challenges they confront routinely. Additionally, Housing, Communities and Local Government Secretary Angela Rayner reiterated that the government is exploring all options to address the prison crisis and specifically prevent the early release of PC Harper’s killers. She affirmed the Prime Minister’s commitment to stopping early parole for serious offenders and stated that the justice secretary would present proposals to Parliament in September. Meanwhile, PC Harper’s widow, Lissie Harper, remains determined in her fight for justice. She urges the public to support a petition opposing early release for Cole and Bowers, insisting that true justice entails offenders serving their full sentences. The petition, organized by Thames Valley Police Federation, has gathered over 900,000 signatures and condemns the decision to permit early release as an insult
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