Police chief says PC Andrew Harper’s family have been ‘re-traumatised’ by having to fight against his killers’ release
Developed over time first seen 2 months ago
The head of Thames Valley Police, Jason Hogg, has said the family of murdered PC Andrew Harper were "re-traumatised" by having to campaign against the early release of his killers, Jessie Cole and Albert Bowers. He welcomed the Prime Minister's decision to keep the pair behind bars, describing the change to prison early-release rules to exclude those convicted of unlawful killing as part of PC Harper's lasting legacy, though he acknowledged many other victims' families would be disappointed the exemption did not go further.
Mr Hogg, a former national police lead on prisons, praised PC Harper's widow Lissie and mother Debbie Adlam for their campaigning over the past four weeks, saying their courage would now benefit "many, many hundreds" of other victims' families. However, he warned that the criminal justice system is "in crisis", citing a roughly 30 per cent reoffending rate among adults released in their first year and difficulties enforcing the Sentencing Act, and said police forces would need to divert resources to manage offenders released early. Ms Adlam told the BBC the ordeal had left her family with "mixed emotions", relieved but exhausted after being "brought through the mill".
- Killers of PC Andrew Harper will no longer be released early
- Police chief says his family were "re-traumatised" by the fight
- Chief constable warns wider criminal justice system is "in crisis"
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Keeping the killers in prison supports public confidence that serious unlawful killing carries meaningful consequences and avoids imposing the strain of campaigning for release decisions on bereaved families. The chief also argues that early release can create practical risks for police and communities, particularly when supervision is difficult and reoffending remains a concern.
The case against
A broader early-release policy can help address pressure on prisons and make rehabilitation and reintegration possible, while reserving exemptions for the gravest cases. Limiting release may ease the burden on some victims’ families, but could leave other families disappointed and does not by itself resolve the wider problems Hogg identifies in sentencing, supervision and reoffending.
Full account
Thames Valley Police Chief Constable Jason Hogg said the family of PC Andrew Harper had been re-traumatised by the prospect of having to campaign against the early release of two men convicted over the officer’s death. He welcomed a government decision to amend the early-release arrangements so that Jessie Cole and Albert Bowers would not qualify for release under the scheme.
PC Harper was killed while on duty in Berkshire in August 2019. Mr Hogg praised the public interventions by Harper’s widow, Lissie, and his mother, Debbie Adlam, and said their campaign had helped secure a change with wider consequences for families of victims of unlawful killing.
The chief constable said the change could mean longer custody for many offenders, but added that some bereaved families would still feel let down because the exemptions did not extend further. He raised concerns that people convicted of offences including domestic abuse could still be released while presenting risks to victims or the public.
Mr Hogg described the criminal justice system as being in crisis and said police forces might need to divert resources to manage offenders released into the community. The reports place the Harper case within a wider argument about prison capacity, sentencing policy and public protection.
Where outlets differ
Source 1 is a reported news account centred on Jason Hogg’s comments, the Harper family’s campaign and the revised eligibility rules. Source 2 is an opinion piece: it uses the case to argue against wider early-release policies, particularly possible changes affecting people held under IPP orders, and makes broader political criticism. It provides little additional reported detail about the Harper case itself.