Prime Minister Andy Burnham is exploring every option to prevent the early release of two men convicted of manslaughter in the 2019 death of police constable Andrew Harper, government sources said.
Jessie Cole and Albert Bowers, who were sentenced to 13 years for Harper's manslaughter, remain eligible for release halfway through their terms under a government scheme designed to ease prison overcrowding. The early release programme, set to begin in October, is expected to free approximately 5,000 inmates. Henry Long, the getaway driver sentenced to 16 years, is not eligible under the plan.
Harper's widow, Lissie Harper, said the decision felt like a punch to the gut, while his mother, Debbie Adlam, said the news left her crushed. A petition opposing the release has gathered more than 780,000 signatures. The senior investigating officer, Stuart Blaik, said he was appalled by the eligibility, and Defence Secretary Wes Streeting called it unacceptable.