'Every victim will feel the same,' says mother of PC Harper over early prison release
BBC News 2026-07-23 10:17:35
Context: PC Andrew Harper, 28, was killed in 2019 while on duty in Berkshire when he was dragged by a car down a country road as three teenagers fled the scene of a quad bike theft. The mother of PC Harper, Debbie Adlam, has expressed her concerns and disappointment over the early prison release scheme under the Sentencing Act, which could allow two of the teenagers involved in her son's death to be freed early. The Act is due to be implemented in September, but its implementation has been questioned by Prime Minister Andy Burnham and others.
Key Facts
- PC Andrew Harper was killed on duty in 2019 in Berkshire when he was dragged by a car down a country road as three teenagers fled the scene of a quad bike theft.
- Jessie Cole and Albert Bowers, two of the passengers in the getaway car who were 17 at the time, were sentenced to 13 years in custody for manslaughter and could be released after six years under the Sentencing Act.
- The driver of the car, Henry Long, who was 18, was jailed for 16 years for manslaughter and would not be eligible for early release under the Act.
- The Sentencing Act, which is due to be implemented in September, aims to address a prison overcrowding crisis, with tens of thousands of inmates already let out of prison early under emergency measures introduced in 2024.
- PC Harper's mother, Debbie Adlam, stated that "every victim will feel the same" about the early prison release scheme, adding that her son has not been given "proper justice" and that the justice system needs a "proper overhaul".