The government is reportedly considering a new legal route that could prevent PC Andrew Harper’s killers from benefiting from controversial early-release plans, after mounting public anger and a petition demanding that the two men remain behind bars passed the one-million-signature mark.

Albert Bowers and Jessie Cole, who were each sentenced to 13 years in prison for the manslaughter of PC Harper, could otherwise become eligible for release in January under measures designed to ease pressure on an overcrowded prison system.

The possibility of their release has triggered a fierce backlash from the officer’s family, police representatives and members of the public who believe the circumstances of his death should place his killers beyond the reach of the new rules.

PC Harper, 28, was killed on August 15, 2019, while responding to a report of a quad bike theft in Berkshire. The Thames Valley Police officer was dragged behind a car as three teenagers attempted to escape. His death shocked the country and prompted widespread tributes to the young constable.

His wife, Lissie Harper, has since campaigned for tougher laws covering offenders responsible for the deaths of emergency workers.

Bowers and Cole were both sentenced to 13 years for manslaughter in July 2020. Henry Long, who was driving the vehicle, received a longer 16-year sentence and is not expected to qualify for the same early-release arrangements.

Now, however, ministers are under growing pressure to find a way of keeping Bowers and Cole imprisoned for longer.

Justice Secretary Alex Norris has reportedly been tasked with developing a proposal after Prime Minister Andy Burnham demanded that the government explore every lawful option available.

The political pressure comes after more than one million people signed a petition opposing the potential release of Harper’s killers.

For the Harper family, the issue has reopened wounds that never truly healed after the officer’s death.

PC Harper’s mother, Debbie Adlam, has described herself as being in a “limbo of hope again” while waiting to discover whether ministers can find a solution.

She has urged Burnham not to let the family down, particularly after earlier hopes that the government would intervene appeared to fade.

One proposal reportedly being examined would change the rules surrounding prisoners convicted of a particular form of manslaughter known as unlawful act manslaughter.

Rather than creating a special exemption for Bowers and Cole alone, officials could potentially exclude all prisoners convicted of that offence from the early-release arrangements.

That distinction could prove crucial.

Government lawyers have reportedly warned that writing a rule specifically aimed at a single case could create significant legal difficulties and invite challenges in the courts.

A broader change affecting everyone convicted of unlawful act manslaughter could therefore provide a more legally defensible route.

Such a measure could potentially affect as many as 470 prisoners, although the exact number and eligibility of those individuals would depend on the final wording of any legislation or policy.

No final decision has yet been made.

Norris has reportedly been given until Parliament returns in September to present a formal proposal, meaning the coming weeks could prove decisive for the Harper family.

The debate is taking place against the backdrop of an unprecedented prison-capacity crisis.

The government has been under intense pressure to reduce overcrowding, with thousands of prisoners being considered for earlier release as ministers attempt to prevent prisons from running out of space.

The policy has already generated controversy because some offenders convicted of serious crimes could become eligible to leave prison significantly earlier than the public might expect.

In Harper’s case, the prospect has been especially difficult for those who believe the circumstances surrounding his death distinguish Bowers and Cole from ordinary offenders.

The three teenagers had been involved in the theft of a quad bike when Harper and fellow officers responded. Harper pursued the vehicle and was struck and dragged during the attempted getaway.

Although Bowers, Cole and Long were not convicted of murder, the consequences of their actions were fatal.

That distinction has become central to the political argument over their potential release.

Police representatives have been among the most vocal critics of the current situation.

Thames Valley Police Federation representatives have previously described the prospect of release as a betrayal of Harper’s legacy, while senior officers and politicians have called for every available legal mechanism to be examined.

The anger extends beyond the police community.

The petition calling for Bowers and Cole to remain behind bars demonstrates the strength of public feeling, with more than one million people reportedly adding their names.

Supporters argue that the scale of the response reflects a widespread belief that the justice system should take into account the unique circumstances of offences committed against police officers and other emergency workers.

Opponents of changing the rules specifically for Harper’s killers, however, could argue that sentencing and release policies must be applied consistently rather than rewritten because of public pressure surrounding an individual case.

That is one reason ministers appear to be considering a wider exemption instead.

Any attempt to block the release of Bowers and Cole will have to balance political demands with legal principles, sentencing rules and the government’s broader effort to manage the prison population.

The Ministry of Justice has insisted that public safety remains its priority.

A spokesperson said the government was fast-tracking a plan designed to keep more of the most serious offenders behind bars. Murderers, prisoners serving life sentences and offenders convicted of rape, serious child sexual abuse and grooming offences are already excluded from certain changes to release arrangements.

The government has also acknowledged the anger surrounding the possibility that offenders such as Harper’s killers could benefit from the current system.

Ministers say they inherited a prison estate “on the brink of collapse” and are attempting to address the underlying capacity problem rather than simply reversing individual release decisions.

Plans include building 14,000 additional prison places, expanding electronic tagging and increasing investment in probation services.

The government is also examining faster deportation of foreign criminals, greater use of the women’s prison estate and changes relating to imprisonment for public protection sentences.

But those long-term measures do little to answer the immediate question facing the Harper family: will Bowers and Cole walk free in January?

For Debbie Adlam and other relatives of the murdered officer, the issue is not simply about prison capacity.

It is about what Harper’s death meant and whether the punishment imposed on those responsible still carries the weight that was intended when the sentences were handed down.

The officer was just 28 when he died. He had been married to Lissie for only a short time, and his death transformed the lives of his family, friends and colleagues.

His name has since become synonymous with campaigns for stronger protections for police officers and emergency workers.

The possibility that two of the men convicted over his death could leave prison after serving only part of their sentences has therefore become a powerful symbol of the wider debate over early release.

For the government, the challenge is now to find a solution that can survive legal scrutiny while addressing the public anger.

For Harper’s family, there is little interest in political explanations or administrative difficulties. They want certainty.

The coming weeks could determine whether ministers succeed in finding a lawful way to keep Bowers and Cole behind bars or whether the current release arrangements will ultimately prevail.

Until a formal decision is announced, the future of PC Harper’s killers remains uncertain.

But with Parliament due to return in September and more than a million people already demanding action, the pressure on the government is unlikely to disappear.

Instead, the case has become one of the most emotionally charged tests yet of the government’s controversial prison-release strategy — and of whether the system can balance the urgent need for prison space with the demands of victims’ families who believe some crimes should never be treated as ordinary cases.