1 Million Sign Petition to Block Early Release of PC Andrew Harper's Killers
Updated
Updated · bbc.co.uk · Aug 14
1 Million Sign Petition to Block Early Release of PC Andrew Harper's Killers
3 articles · Updated · bbc.co.uk · Aug 14
Summary
More than 1 million people have signed a petition opposing the early release of Jessie Cole and Albert Bowers, who were jailed over PC Andrew Harper's 2019 death.
Under Sentencing Act changes made this year, the pair can be considered for release in January after serving half of their 13-year manslaughter terms, a shift from the previous two-thirds threshold.
Henry Long, the driver who got 16 years for manslaughter, is not eligible under the new early-release rules that were introduced to ease prison overcrowding.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham is examining ways to keep Cole and Bowers in prison after pressure from police and politicians, though he has said wider limits on early release risk the prison system 'collapsing'.