Support pours in on anniversary of PC Harper's death

A police force has thanked the public for the "extraordinary outpouring of support" it received on the seventh anniversary of PC Andrew Harper's death.

The Thames Valley Police (TVP) officer from Wallingford, Oxfordshire, died on 15 August 2019 after being dragged by a car as three teenagers fled the scene of a quad bike theft in Berkshire.

The case returned to the spotlight recently after it emerged that two of his killers could be released early, and a petition to block this from happening has been signed more than one million times.

The force's chief constable said the killing had a "profound impact" on communities across the region and they had "never forgotten his service and sacrifice".

Jessie Cole and Albert Bowers were sentenced to 13 years for PC Harper's manslaughter in 2020 but could be released next year under plans to tackle prison overcrowding.

But last week Prime Minister Andy Burnham asked his justice secretary to find a way to keep them behind bars.

A third man jailed for manslaughter - the vehicle's driver Henry Long - was given a longer 16-year jail term and cannot be considered for the new early release conditions.

TVP said the concern about the early release of Cole and Bowers extended "far beyond the Thames Valley" and it had received thousands of letters and messages of support.

Chief Constable Jason Hogg said: "Over recent weeks we have seen an extraordinary level of support from members of the public, colleagues across policing and people from all walks of life."

He said the case had become a broader debate about justice, public confidence, the sacrifice of emergency workers and the impact of early offender release on victims.

"It also reflects a wider expectation that decisions relating to serious offenders are subject to rigorous scrutiny and that the voices of bereaved families are heard throughout the process," he added.

PC Harper's widow, Lissie Harper, previously led a successful campaign for Harper's Law, which introduced mandatory life sentences for anyone convicted of killing an emergency worker while committing a crime.