Andy Burnham hits pause on early prisoner release scheme after fury over PC Harper’s death

Andy Burnham has said he will pause labor’s plan to release prisoners early.

‘No prisoners will be let out under this policy until we have conducted an urgent review and done everything we can to minimise risk to the public.

‘Where changes are needed, we will not hesitate to make them,’ the new Prime Minister said.

The scheme, which would see some 6,000 criminals released early from September, would have seen the early release of Jessie Cole and Albert Bowers who were in the car that dragged PC Andrew Harper to his death in 2019.

PC Harper was 28 years old when he sustained fatal injuries while responding to a quad bike theft in Sulhamstead, Berkshire, in August 2019.

The driver of the vehicle which caused PC Harper’s death, Henry Long, received a 16-year sentence, and will not be eligible for the scheme.

Early release could be on the cards for Jessie Cole and Albert Bowers, who were passengers in the car and handed 13 years in custody for manslaughter after a trial at the Old Bailey in 2020.

Both men were eligible to be released from prison after serving half of their sentences, rather than two-thirds.

It comes after the constable’s widow Lissie Harper criticised the early release scheme as ‘deplorable’.

She said: ‘It has taken me years to rebuild a life that was torn apart in a matter of moments.

‘Years to pick up the pieces left behind by three men whose actions robbed Andrew of his life and stole our future.

‘Now – once again – politicians are making decisions from behind a desk that will have real and lasting consequences for victims’ families like mine.

‘It is deplorable to me that we have reached a point where releasing prisoners early is even considered acceptable.’