Andy Burnham halts Labour’s early prisoner release scheme | Politics | News
Thousands of prisoners were released mid-sentence; Shocking images of tramps popping champagne and riding in luxury cars made headlines last year.
Under the current schedule, two of PC Harper’s killers were due to be released just six years into their sentences.
Killer pair Albert Bower and Jessie Cole were arrested for the manslaughter of PC Harper in 2019.
Back then, he was even photographed smiling and gesticulating in front of the cameras as he entered court.
Bower and Cole were arrested in August 2019 for the murder of a 28-year-old police officer investigating a quadricycle theft.
They attempted to flee the scene in a car driven by Henry Long after the officer’s ankles got caught on a tow rope and he was dragged for more than a mile along country roads.
It was revealed earlier this week that the pair could be released early, despite calls from the Conservative Party and campaigners to exempt murderers, rapists and grooms from the scheme.
Mr Burnham announced during his visit to Scotland that he would suspend broadcasts for September until the outcome of the investigation.
The Prime Minister said: “Keeping the public safe will always be my top priority.
“I am working closely with the new Minister of Justice and have instructed my team to pause the changes, which were scheduled to begin in September.”
He added: “No prisoners will be allowed to be released under this policy until we have carried out an urgent investigation and done everything we can to minimize the risk to the public.
“When changes are needed, we will not hesitate to make them.”
Mr Burnham was under constant pressure from MPs, campaigners and PC Harper’s widow Lissie Harper to stop the eviction.
Before the announcement, Ms Harper said it was “deplorable” that “even the early release of prisoners is considered acceptable”.
The national outcry over the officers’ killings resulted in the enactment of the Harper Act, which imposed life sentences for criminals who killed emergency workers while committing a crime.
