PC Harper killers' potential early release is an 'insult', says his mother

The mother of murdered PC Andrew Harper has voiced her disgust and anger over the potential early release of his killers, describing the prospect as a "slap in the face and an insult." Debbie Adlam told The Telegraph that she received a letter from the Ministry of Justice confirming that the sentences of the men convicted of her son's murder might be reduced.

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It makes me feel sick. Andrew's life doesn't get to come back. It feels like a slap in the face and an insult.

"Andrew's life doesn't get to come back. It feels like a slap in the face and an insult," Adlam stated, adding that "people are getting a free pass for crime" in the UK. The Police Federation of England & Wales echoed this sentiment, calling the early release policy "disgusting" and expressing that officers nationwide would be "utterly sickened" by the possibility of the killers returning to the streets.

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This was a horrific crime, and our deepest sympathies are with PC Andrew Harper's family and friends.

The Ministry of Justice acknowledged the "horrific crime" and offered sympathies to PC Harper's family. The government is grappling with a prison crisis and has initiated measures to increase prison capacity, asserting a commitment to public safety. However, it faces pressure to exempt certain offenders, such as rapists and child groomers, from early release schemes. The government has insisted that the new law will not lead to early releases for offenders deemed "the most dangerous."

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Police officers from across the country stood side by side to honour Andrew Harper at his funeral. They and every serving officer will be utterly sickened at the prospect of Bowers and Cole being back on the streets so soon.

PC Harper was killed responding to a quad bike call shortly after he was due to start his honeymoon. His wife, Lissie Harper, subsequently campaigned for tougher sentences for the manslaughter of emergency workers, leading to Harper's Law, which mandates life sentences for such offenses. However, the law is not retrospective, meaning it does not apply to PC Harper's killers.

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The killers of PC Andrew Harper should be kept where they belong... behind bars.