Thames Valley chief weighs legal challenge to stop early release of PC Harper's killers

Chief Constable Jason Hogg of Thames Valley Police announced he is considering joining the Police Federation in a legal bid to prevent the early release of Jessie Cole and Albert Bowers, who were convicted of manslaughter for the 2019 death of PC Andrew Harper. The two received 13-year sentences and are eligible for parole after serving half of their terms, whereas the driver, Henry Long, received a 16-year term without early-release eligibility.

Hogg expressed that public sentiment is strongly against their release and urged the government to rethink the policy that excludes only rape and serious child-sex offences from the scheme. Justice Minister Jake Richards confirmed that manslaughter is not among the excluded offences and that individual cases cannot be singled out. Justice Secretary Alex Norris warned that restricting early releases could exacerbate a looming prison-capacity crisis, noting that about 5,000 prisoners will be released in ten batches from October. The government also pledged an additional £10 million for frontline victim-support services, including a new national helpline.