One of the men jailed over the death of PC Andrew Harper has been revealed to be a convicted sex offender, raising fresh questions over how he was previously considered eligible for early release under changes to sentencing rules.

Albert Bowers, now 24, was just 17 when he was involved in the events that led to the death of the Thames Valley Police officer in Berkshire in August 2019. Bowers was convicted alongside Henry Long and Jessie Cole after PC Harper was dragged to his death while attempting to apprehend the group as they fled the scene of a quad bike theft.

Bowers remains behind bars at HMP Frankland in County Durham following a furious public campaign against his potential early release. He is reportedly listed in prison records as a “sex offender,” as well as being categorized as “violent” and “racist.”

The revelation has added another disturbing dimension to the controversy surrounding his sentence and the government’s decision to consider him for release before reversing course following a public outcry.

A source described the situation as deeply concerning and suggested that the classification indicated Bowers had committed a sexual offense before the events that resulted in PC Harper’s death.

“This is outrageous and shows he is a danger to society and to women in particular,” the source said.

The source also suggested that the alleged sexual offense may have occurred when Bowers was under 18, meaning details would not necessarily have appeared in public court records because of legal protections surrounding children accused of crimes.

Whatever the circumstances behind the classification, the revelation comes at a highly sensitive moment for PC Harper’s family, who have spent years campaigning for tougher treatment of those responsible for his death.

PC Harper, 28, was a newlywed Thames Valley Police officer when he was killed on Aug. 15, 2019. He had been responding to the theft of a quad bike in Berkshire when he attempted to stop the group.

Long, who was driving the vehicle, fled with Bowers and Cole inside. During the pursuit, Harper became caught by a rope or strap attached to the vehicle and was dragged along the road. He suffered fatal injuries and died in the incident.

The case shocked the country and sparked a national debate over whether those convicted of causing the deaths of emergency workers should receive harsher sentences.

Bowers and Cole were both 17 at the time, while Long was older and was driving the car. All three were eventually convicted of manslaughter in July 2020.

Long received a 16-year sentence and was not eligible for the same early-release arrangements that applied to Bowers and Cole. The two younger men were each sentenced to 13 years.

For years, PC Harper’s widow Lissie has campaigned for tougher laws and has repeatedly fought to ensure that her husband’s killers remain behind bars. His mother, Debbie Adlam, has also become a prominent voice in the campaign.

The latest controversy erupted after it emerged that Bowers and Cole could potentially have been released as early as January after serving half of their sentences under changes to the sentencing system.

The possibility provoked widespread anger, particularly among police officers and supporters of the Harper family. More than one million people signed a petition calling for Bowers and Cole to remain in prison.

The government eventually reversed course and moved to exclude unlawful killing offenses from the sentencing changes. The decision meant the men responsible for PC Harper’s death would remain behind bars for longer.

Lord Chancellor and Justice Secretary Alex Norris said the government had acted to prevent dangerous offenders convicted of unlawful killing from benefiting from the changes.

“We moved quickly to exclude rape and many serious child sex and grooming offences from our sentencing changes, and we have gone further still by excluding all unlawful killing offences—including death by dangerous or drink-driving, causing or allowing the death of a child, and manslaughter,” Norris said.

“This means hundreds more dangerous criminals staying behind bars for longer, including those who killed PC Andrew Harper in the line of duty.”

Norris also paid tribute to Lissie Harper and Debbie Adlam for their campaign.

“It is the right thing to do, and I pay tribute to his wife Lissie and his mother Debbie, who campaigned for this,” he said.

The revelation about Bowers’ status at Frankland has now intensified scrutiny of the young offender’s time in custody.

According to the information provided, Bowers is on an enhanced regime at the high-security prison. That reportedly gives him additional privileges, including money to spend in the prison canteen, extra access to the gym and workshops, more time outside his cell and extended television access.

A separate source described Bowers as someone who is feared by other prisoners because of his physical strength and boxing background.

“He is quite feared in Frankland because he is young and a trained boxer,” the source said. “He is always in the gym and can lift more than anyone else in there.”

The source also claimed that Bowers has earned privileges because of his behavior while incarcerated.

“He is also living quite a comfortable life by prison standards because he has behaved, so he gets all the privileges including 24-hour TV,” the source said.

Bowers is being held at Frankland alongside some of the country’s most notorious offenders, including convicted murderers and terrorists. His fellow inmates reportedly include serial killer Levi Bellfield, former police officer Wayne Couzens and Mark Dixie, who was convicted of murdering Sally Anne Bowman.

The latest revelation also follows reports about Bowers’ former accomplice Jessie Cole, who is being held at Whitemoor Prison in Cambridgeshire. Cole has reportedly been classified as a “risk to staff” by prison authorities, adding to concerns about the behavior and management of the men convicted in connection with Harper’s death.

For the Harper family, the controversy over early release has been particularly painful because Lissie has spent years campaigning for changes to the law. She has previously criticized government plans that she believed could allow the men responsible for her husband’s death to leave prison earlier than expected.

Her campaign has become a lasting part of the legacy of PC Harper, who was killed while doing his job and attempting to stop a crime.

Debbie Adlam has similarly described the uncertainty surrounding her son’s killers as “gut-wrenching.” The family has repeatedly argued that the men should serve substantial prison terms because of the devastating consequences of their actions.

The government’s decision to exclude manslaughter and other unlawful killing offenses from the sentencing changes was therefore welcomed as a significant victory for the campaign. It means Bowers and Cole will not benefit from the proposed early-release arrangements that initially caused such anger.

Yet the new information about Bowers’ classification as a sex offender has reopened questions about what other risks may have been considered by prison authorities and whether enough scrutiny was applied when his potential release was initially assessed.

The classification itself does not establish details of any separate offense, and the circumstances behind it have not been publicly explained in the information available. Bowers remains a convicted prisoner serving his sentence for manslaughter in connection with PC Harper’s death.

What is beyond dispute is the continuing impact of Harper’s killing on his family and colleagues. The officer was only 28, had recently married and was serving the public when his life was suddenly cut short.

His widow and mother have refused to let his death disappear from public attention. Their campaign helped turn outrage over the proposed early release into a political issue, ultimately contributing to changes designed to keep those convicted of unlawful killing behind bars for longer.

Now, as Bowers remains in Frankland, another revelation about his prison status has placed renewed focus on the men responsible for Harper’s death and the years they still have left to serve.

For those who knew PC Harper, however, the issue is about more than prison classifications or sentencing formulas. It is about ensuring that an officer who died protecting the public is remembered, and that his family does not have to watch his killers walk free sooner than expected.

The government has now said those convicted of unlawful killing, including the men jailed over Harper’s death, will be excluded from the sentencing changes. For Lissie Harper and Debbie Adlam, that decision represents the latest step in a campaign that began with unimaginable grief and has continued for years in the name of the officer they lost.