PC Andrew Harper's widow wins justice for police and 999 workers killed in line of duty

Ministers said the mandatory term will apply to all those convicted of manslaughter as well as murder. Lissie Harper said her husband, who was dragged to his death by teenagers, would be proud of Harper’s Law.

Home Secretary Priti Patel paid tribute to Mrs Harper who launched a campaign for justice, backed by the Daily Express crusade Harper’s Law To End Injustice.

His killers were cleared of murder but jailed for between 13 and 16 years for manslaughter. They can be freed after serving half that.

Under the new legislation they would have been sentenced to a far longer minimum time behind bars.

Mrs Harper, 30, said: “It’s been a long journey and a lot of hard work.

“I know Andrew would be proud to see Harper’s Law reach this important milestone.

“Emergency services workers require extra protection. I know all too well how they are put at risk and into the depths of danger on a regular basis on behalf of society.

“That protection is what Harper’s Law will provide and I am delighted that it will soon become a reality.”

Harper’s Law is expected to make it onto the statute books via an amendment to the existing Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill.

It is likely to receive Royal Assent and become law early next year.

PC Harper, 28, died from appalling injuries after he was pulled to his death near Sulhamstead, Berkshire in August 2019.

He had been investigating reports that a quad bike had been stolen when his feet became caught in a strap that was hanging from the teenage thieves’ getaway car.

The brave Thames Valley Police officer had married his teenage sweetheart just weeks before.

They were planning a honeymoon when he died.

Mrs Harper was outraged when his killers Henry Long ‑ 18 at the time ‑ Jessie Cole and Albert Bowers, then both 17, were cleared of murder at the Old Bailey last year.

She suffered further anguish when the killers were sentenced. Ringleader and getaway driver Long, who admitted manslaughter, was jailed for 16 years.

Cole and Bowers, who denied murder and manslaughter, were each given 13 years.

Mrs Harper almost immediately began to lobby senior ministers to give frontline police officers and other emergency workers better protection.

Last night, Home Secretary Priti Patel paid tribute to her.

She said: “PC Andrew Harper’s killing was shocking. It is with thanks to the dedication of Lissie, and his family, that I am proud to be able to honour Andrew’s life by introducing Harper’s Law.

“Those who seek to harm our emergency service workers represent the very worst of humanity and it is right that future killers be stripped of the freedom to walk our streets, with a life sentence.”

Announcing the proposed law change, Dominic Raab, the Justice Secretary, said: “We are going to pass into law mandatory life sentences for those who unlawfully kill an emergency worker in the course of their duty.

“I pay tribute to Lissie Harper’s remarkable campaign. This Government is on the side of victims and their families, and we want our emergency services to know that we’ll always have their back.”

Mrs Harper added: “I’d like to thank the teams at the Ministry of Justice and the Home Office, and Dominic Raab, Priti Patel and [Mr Raab’s predecessor] Robert Buckland for working with me to achieve this.

“I would also like to thank my incredible Harper’s Law team as well as the public for their unstinting support. Those who believed that the right thing is worth doing.”

She was also supported by the Police Federation of England and Wales. The Ministry of Justice said last night that the law change “extends mandatory life sentences to anyone who commits the manslaughter of an emergency worker on duty...while carrying out another crime unless there are truly exceptional circumstances.”

Courts must already impose life sentences for murder, with a whole-life order if the victim is a police officer.

That tariff would not be the case currently for those convicted of the manslaughter of a police officer. Emergency service workers include police, National Crime Agency officers, prison and custody officers, firefighters and paramedics.

A life sentence means a judge can set a minimum term ‑ typically between 20 and 35 years ‑ before a prisoner is considered for parole.

They will be allowed out of prison only if they are deemed not to pose a danger and are released on licence, so may be recalled if they commit further offences. Some can be returned if they breach release conditions without committing further crimes.

Double child killer Colin Pitchfork was sent back to prison last Friday after he allegedly approached young girls.

Glen Smyth, veteran frontline officer and ex-chairman of the Metropolitan Police Federation, said last night: “If this really does signal a significant change in the way offenders are sentenced for heinous crimes such as the killing of Andrew Harper, then it is a very welcome change.

“But the Government must make sure judges have the power to set significant minimum terms which reflect the gravity of the crime.

“The expectation of a long prison sentence can act as a powerful deterrent.”

Comment by John Twomey

The barbaric death of Andrew Harper sickened the nation.

His three teenage killers dragged him to his death after his feet became caught in a strap hanging from their getaway car.

PC Harper suffered “absolutely catastrophic and unsurvivable” injuries as the Seat Toledo swerved side to side for more than a mile down country lanes at up to 60mph.

But driver Henry Long, Jessie Cole and Albert Bowers were cleared of murder and convicted only of manslaughter at the Old Bailey in July last year. However, 16 months on, there is finally some good news for his widow Lissie.

Her campaign for Harper’s Law called for killers of police and 999 workers to be jailed for life for the lesser offence of manslaughter. The Daily Express backed her campaign with our Harper’s Law to End Injustice crusade.

The so-called Harper’s Law is now expected to make it on to the statute books via an amendment to the existing Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill. That means it will likely get Royal Assent and become law early next year.

Lissie said she would never back down until Harper’s Law was passed. She is now close to a fitting legacy to the heroism of her husband.

John Twomey is Daily Express Crime correspondent