Police Federation Weighs Judicial Review to Keep Killers of PC Harper in Prison

The Police Federation is contemplating a judicial review to keep the pair in prison. Harper, 28, died in August 2019 in Berkshire when he was dragged by a car driven by Henry Long as the trio fled a quad bike theft. Cole and Bowers, convicted of manslaughter in 2020 and sentenced to 13 years, could be freed early under a government scheme to ease prison overcrowding; Long, sentenced to 16 years, does not qualify.

Hogg told the Guardian he was contacted by the Police Federation and is watching with interest, hoping the government will listen. From October, about 5,000 prisoners who have served a third of their sentence are set for release. Harper's widow, Lissie, campaigned for a 2022 law mandating life sentences for those who kill emergency workers on duty, but it cannot be applied retrospectively. Hogg wrote to Prime Minister Andy Burnham 12 days ago without a reply and plans to write again to Burnham, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, and Justice Secretary Alex Norris about the impact on officer morale.