The family of PC Andrew Harper has been left devastated after learning that two of the men responsible for his death could soon be released from prison under new early release measures designed to ease overcrowding in England’s prison system.

Albert Bowes and Jessie Cole, who were each sentenced to 13 years in prison for the manslaughter of the Thames Valley Police officer, are expected to become eligible for release after serving just half of their sentences under the Government’s revised sentencing rules.

           

The news has reignited painful memories of one of Britain’s most shocking police killings and sparked fresh criticism from Harper’s loved ones, who say reducing the sentences is an insult to the officer’s sacrifice.

PC Andrew Harper was just 28 years old when he was killed in August 2019 while responding to the theft of a quad bike near Sulhamstead, Berkshire.

Only weeks earlier, he had married his wife, Lissie Harper.

His death stunned the nation after prosecutors revealed he had been dragged for more than a mile behind a fleeing vehicle after his ankles became caught in a tow rope attached to the getaway car.

The horrific incident occurred as Harper attempted to stop a group of thieves fleeing the scene.

The vehicle, driven by Henry Long, accelerated away while Harper remained entangled.

Dragged at speeds reaching approximately 42 miles per hour, the officer suffered catastrophic injuries.

The force of the ordeal tore away almost all of his police uniform.

The injuries were so severe that the first emergency responders reportedly mistook his body for the carcass of a deer lying beside the road.

Long was convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to 16 years in prison.

Because he received a longer sentence and different custodial conditions, he is not eligible for release under the new scheme, although he may eventually apply for parole after serving the required minimum portion of his sentence.

Bowes and Cole, however, were both 17 years old at the time of the killing and each received 13-year prison terms for manslaughter.

Now, under the Government’s plans to reduce pressure on the prison estate, they are expected to qualify for release after completing only half of those sentences.

Although officials have not confirmed an exact release date, reports suggest the pair could become eligible before the end of the year.

For Harper’s mother, Debbie Adlam, the news has reopened emotional wounds that never fully healed.

She recently received a letter from the Ministry of Justice informing her that her son’s killers could benefit from the revised sentencing arrangements.

The letter acknowledged that the update might be difficult to receive because of the lasting impact of the crime.

But Adlam said no words could soften the blow.

“It makes me feel sick,” she told The Telegraph.

“Andrew’s life doesn’t get to come back.”

She described the possibility of an earlier release as deeply offensive to her family.

“It feels like a slap in the face and an insult,” she said.

“People are getting a free pass for crime in this country.”

“I like to try to be proud of my country, but this isn’t something to be proud of. There’s a lot going wrong.”

The changes are part of Labour’s wider Sentencing Act, introduced in response to mounting pressure on Britain’s prison system.

For years, prisons across England and Wales have struggled with overcrowding, prompting repeated warnings that facilities were nearing capacity.

The Government has argued that difficult decisions are necessary while additional prison places are built.

Under the revised arrangements, some violent and sexual offenders will become eligible for release after serving half of their custodial terms rather than the previous requirement of two-thirds.

Other offenders could potentially be released after serving just one-third of their sentence if they demonstrate sustained good behavior while incarcerated.

The Government has stressed that murderers serving mandatory life sentences will not automatically benefit from the changes.

However, because Bowes and Cole were convicted of manslaughter rather than murder, they fall within the categories affected by the revised policy.

Their impending eligibility has reignited public debate over whether the original sentences imposed after Harper’s death were already too lenient.

When the three defendants were sentenced in 2020, widespread public anger followed the court’s decision not to convict them of murder.

Many police officers, politicians and members of the public argued that the punishment failed to reflect the brutality of Harper’s death.

The national campaign that followed eventually led to significant legal reform.

Harper’s widow, Lissie Harper, became the driving force behind a campaign to strengthen protections for emergency workers.

Her efforts ultimately resulted in the introduction of Harper’s Law.

The legislation created a mandatory life sentence for offenders convicted of killing emergency workers while committing another criminal offence.

The law was widely welcomed across the political spectrum.

At the time, Labour publicly backed the proposal.

Ellie Reeves, who now serves as Attorney General, told Parliament during debates surrounding the legislation that emergency workers deserved the strongest legal protections available.

“It is right that emergency service workers who put themselves at risk to keep the rest of us safe are protected by the strongest shield that the criminal justice system can provide,” she said.

Lissie Harper later received an MBE in recognition of her campaign and dedication to changing the law in her husband’s memory.

Her advocacy transformed personal tragedy into legislative reform intended to prevent similar cases from receiving what many viewed as inadequate punishment.

Yet despite that legal victory, Harper’s family now finds itself confronting another painful chapter.

The prospect of Bowes and Cole leaving prison years earlier than expected has renewed questions about sentencing consistency and public confidence in the criminal justice system.

A spokesperson for the Ministry of Justice acknowledged the distress caused by the case.

“This was a horrific crime, and our deepest sympathies are with PC Andrew Harper’s family and friends,” the spokesperson said.

The department defended the broader reforms by pointing to the challenges facing Britain’s prison system.

“In 2024, the country was facing a prison crisis and a total breakdown of law and order, with judges ordered to stop jailing dangerous criminals,” the statement said.

“This government is committed to public safety. We are building prison places at the fastest rate since the Victorian era and taking the difficult decisions needed to lock up the most dangerous offenders.”

The Harper family has also endured additional personal hardship in the years since Andrew’s death.

In 2020, Lissie Harper became the subject of inappropriate remarks made by John Apter, then chairman of the Police Federation.

After presenting her with a posthumous bravery award honoring her late husband, Apter reportedly told colleagues that he would like to “comfort her” in his hotel room.

The comments prompted disciplinary proceedings after they became public.

Although Apter retired before the process concluded, a misconduct panel later ruled that he would have been dismissed without notice had he still been serving.

The tribunal found his conduct amounted to gross misconduct, and his name was placed on the College of Policing’s barred list for at least five years.

Lissie Harper described the remarks as “highly inappropriate.”

The same proceedings also considered separate allegations involving inappropriate conduct toward other women, although Apter was cleared of those additional accusations.

Nearly six years after Andrew Harper’s death, his family continues to grapple with profound loss while fighting to preserve the legacy of a police officer who died protecting his community.

Now, as two of the men responsible move closer to possible release, that grief has once again been thrust into the national spotlight, raising difficult questions about justice, sentencing and how Britain balances prison reform with the expectations of victims’ families.