PC Andrew Harper's killers excluded from early release scheme
Prime Minister Andy Burnham has confirmed that anyone convicted of unlawful killing, including all forms of manslaughter, will be excluded from the early release scheme, ensuring PC Andrew Harper's killers remain in prison.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham has confirmed that anyone convicted of unlawful killing, including all forms of manslaughter, will be excluded from the early release scheme, a move that ensures the killers of PC Andrew Harper remain behind bars. The announcement follows public outrage over the possibility that two of the officer's killers could have been released early under the programme designed to ease prison overcrowding.
Burnham said he understood “how strongly people feel about this issue” as he confirmed the changes. The decision comes after he previously ordered a review of plans that would have allowed the early release of thousands of killers, rapists and sex offenders from prison in September. The revised scheme now carves out unlawful killing offences, closing the loophole that would have made PC Harper's killers eligible for release.
PC Andrew Harper, a Thames Valley Police officer, was killed in August 2019 while responding to a reported burglary in Berkshire. He was dragged along a road after becoming entangled in a tow rope attached to a vehicle driven by the offenders. Three teenagers were convicted in connection with his death, with the two principal offenders receiving sentences for manslaughter. The case became a focal point for debates over sentencing policy and the treatment of offenders convicted of serious violent crimes.
The early release scheme was introduced as a measure to address chronic overcrowding in prisons across England and Wales. Under the original terms, certain offenders could be released automatically before completing their full sentence, a policy that drew criticism from victims' families and law enforcement groups. The confirmation that unlawful killing offences are now excluded represents a significant tightening of the rules, though the government has not yet published the full list of offences that remain eligible.
Burnham's announcement has been welcomed by campaigners and police representatives who argued that releasing individuals convicted of taking a life would undermine public confidence in the justice system. The Prime Minister's statement signals a broader shift in policy, with further details of the revised scheme expected to be laid out in Parliament in the coming weeks. The families of victims of violent crime have urged the government to ensure that no offender convicted of a killing can benefit from early release provisions in the future.
