Police officer who put PC Andrew Harper's killers away is 'appalled' that Andy Burnham is letting them be released early

By ELIZABETH HAIGH, SENIOR NEWS REPORTER Published: 12:09, 7 August 2026 | Updated: 12:23, 7 August 2026 A senior police officer who helped put away PC Andrew Harper's killers is 'appalled' the government is to allow their freedom under the Early Release Scheme. PC Harper, a Thames Valley Police officer, was killed in August 2019 while responding to a quad bike theft in Sulhamstead, Berkshire.  Jessie Cole and Albert Bowers were both sentenced to 13 years in prison for manslaughter and are now eligible for early release after Prime Minister Andy Burnham resumed the scheme in recent days.  They were passengers in a car, driven by Henry Long, which dragged PC Harper along a road for a mile. Long was sentenced to 16 years in prison and is not eligible for release.  PC Harper's widow, Lissie Harper, and his mother Debbie Adlam, have been among growing calls for Mr Burnham to intervene in the case. Now former Det Supt Stuart Blaik, who led the Thames Valley Police investigation into the killing, has told the BBC he is 'deeply concerned and appalled' by plans to consider releasing Cole and Bowers. 'Neither of them showed any remorse during their time in police custody or during their subsequent trial. 'I hope the Government takes account of the strength of public feeling on this issue, which has been both clear and widespread,' he added. PC Andrew Harper, a Thames Valley Police officer, was killed in August 2019 while responding to a quad bike theft in Sulhamstead, Berkshire Former Det Sup Stuart Blaik, who led the Thames Valley Police investigation into the killing, has said he is 'deeply concerned and appalled' by plans to consider releasing Cole and Bowers Speaking on Breakfast this morning Det Supt Blaik, who left the force in 2023, said he hoped Mr Burnham was watching as he continued: 'The unlawful killing of anybody is a serious offence. And I just really don't understand why the Early Release Scheme is being used in these sort of circumstances, it just doesn't feel right.' Asked about the conduct of Cole and Bowers, who were seen laughing and posing for cameras while under 18 ahead of their trial and sentencing, he said: 'Their behaviour at the remand hearing and that way that they were reacting to the cameras, and the fact that they showed absolutely no remorse whatsoever, and then the subsequent trial, that came out again during that process. 'I just don't understand why something of this nature and this seriousness could ever be part of that early release scheme, it just doesn't make any sense to me.' He called for prisoners who had been ruled as having a high level of culpability in manslaughter cases to be excluded from the scheme. Many rapists, paedophiles and those convicted of grooming offences are already exempt. Det Supt Blaik said the release of offenders such as Cole and Bowers threatens to 'undermine' the judiciary system. The early release scheme means prisoners are eligible to apply for release once they have served half of their sentence, instead of two thirds.  Lissie Harper this week described the pair's eligibility for the scheme as a 'gut punch'. Jessie Cole (left) and Albert Bowers (right) were both sentenced to 13 years in prison for manslaughter and are now eligible for early release after Prime Minister Andy Burnham resumed the scheme in recent days Bowers and Cole were seen laughing and posing for cameras on their way to and from court during the case The couple had been married for just a month at the time of PC Harper's death. In a statement, she said: 'To have your loved one snatched away from you in such a horrific and senseless way is indescribable in itself, then we have to endure the torture of long trials in court hoping to receive some form of justice, we never received justice for Andrew in that court. 'Seven years later, we are now faced with a secondary gut punch that is coming from our own Government. 'The sentences Andrew’s killers received were pitiful – and the fact we are hearing these absurd reasons for early release like prisons being too full is disgraceful and disgusting… the people making these decisions should be utterly ashamed of themselves. 'This decision puts dangerous people back on our streets, causes more heartache and suffering for other families in the future and makes a mockery of our justice system. 'The story this tells to career criminals and those who commit crime is that this country is weak and our systems are broken and prime to be manipulated. I will never understand this decision and I am ashamed to be governed by these politicians and their short-sighted decisions. 'You show nothing but disrespect to Andrew, to his loved ones and to other families in the same horrific position.' PC Harper's mother, Debbie Adlam, said the family was 'bitterly disappointed' by the decision, telling the BBC: 'Andrew deserves better than this, and so do we.' A petition started by the Police Federation on Tuesday has already amassed more than 650,000 signatures. Thames Valley Police Federation has threatened to take legal action and 'throw everything' at their fight to prevent the two men's release.  Some 5,000 people are now expected to be released early under the new Sentencing Act, down from 6,000 after Mr Burnham exempted rapists and child sex offenders. Justice Secretary Alex Norris said he 'wanted to go further' with the exemptions, but could not as the prison estate would fill up 'very quickly'. Speaking during a visit to HMP Welland Oaks, a prison under construction in Leicestershire, he told reporters: 'It is important we've been able to take out the offences that we have. Of course, we wanted to do more. I've had those conversations. 'Those are very, very difficult conversations because, quite rightly, families are really upset about it and they feel that they're carrying the can for previous failures, and they're right. That shouldn't be the case.' Talking about the early release scheme exemptions, he added: 'We wanted to go further. We couldn't. We can't and then still have a viable prison estate.'