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Police chief considers joining legal action over PC Harper killers' early release
Aileen O'Connor said the petition had topped 30,000 signatures in nine hours as police leaders and the victim's family criticized the scheme.
- Prime Minister Andy Burnham's government confirmed this week that Jessie Cole and Albert Bowers remain eligible for early release under a new scheme designed to reduce prison overcrowding.
- Harper, 28, died in August 2019 while responding to a quad bike theft in Sulhamstead, Berkshire; Cole and Bowers received 13-year sentences for their roles, while Henry Long was jailed for 16 years.
- On Tuesday, Aileen, Chair of the Thames Valley Police Federation, launched an online petition calling for the killers to remain incarcerated, gathering more than 30,000 signatures and 50,000 shares within nine hours.
- Aileen Connor said the decision "pours salt into wounds" and is "an insult" to Harper's family, while the Crime Commissioner criticized the policy as deeply troubling.
- Reflecting widespread officer frustration, one 26-year Police Officer veteran wrote the decision suggests "it's ok to kill a police officer," while Another commenter called it "abhorrent," signaling a deepening rift with government.
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Tories Lay Trap for Labour With Vote to Stop Early Release of PC Harper's Killers
Thames Valley Tory police and crime commissioner Matthew Barber has produced draft legislation that would stop the early release of PC Andrew Harper’s killers. Those “serving a sentence of imprisonment for manslaughter … against an emergency worker” would be barred from release. So it’s not ‘wrong’ and unlawful and is in fact that easy? The…
·London, United Kingdom
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Cop Killer Uproar Freezes Prisoner Release Plan
The same UK government that says it is protecting the public from dangerous prisoners is still planning a scheme that could let two men linked to the killing of a police officer walk free years early. Story Snapshot Prime Minister Andy Burnham has paused a mass early-release plan for thousands of inmates after outrage over...
Coverage Details
Total News Sources24
Leaning Left3Leaning Right8Center10Last UpdatedBias Distribution48% Center
Bias Distribution
- 48% of the sources are Center
48% Center
14%
C 48%
R 38%
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