The three men responsible for the death of PC Andrew Harper are to have their custodial sentences reviewed after claims that they were too lenient.
Career criminal Henry Long along with Jesse Cole and Albert Bowers were sentenced last Friday after they dragged hero PC, Andrew Harper, for 1.4 miles at an average speed of 42.5 mph. After PC Harper’s body was dislodged from the vehicle, their average speed increased to over 50 mph.
The three heartless killers and thieves showed no remorse throughout their trial, and they even smirked to each other when the jury returned a ‘not guilty’ murder verdict, as PC Harper’s widow, Lissie Harper broke down in tears.
PC Harper had been married just over four weeks when his was killed on 15th August 2019 and had been due to go on his honeymoon the following week.
When Henry Long, the driver of the getaway vehicle that was used to drag PC Harper to his death, was charged with murder his reply was: ‘I don’t give a f**k about any of this’.
Long, Bowers and Cole
Long, Cole and Bowers had just carried out an armed raid on a private property when PC Harper and PC Shaw attempted to stop the thieves as they tried to get away with a £10,000 quad bike. PC Harper and PC Shaw were only minutes away from finishing their shift when they responded to the frantic 999 call that was made by the victim of the theft.
PC Harper was dragged behind the getaway car after his foot became stuck in a crane strap that the thieves had stolen during a previous theft.
It was the prosecution’s case that the thieves would have known that the 6ft 3-inch police officer was being dragged behind their vehicle as they drove all over the road ‘as if to dislodge something from their car’.
Career criminal, Henry Long, was jailed for 16 years but could be out of prison in less than ten years owing to various ‘discounts’ which were applied to his sentence.
Bowers and Cole were each jailed for 13 years, but they could serve less than eight years in prison owing to similar discounts being applied to their sentences and owing to the fact that they could serve a quarter of their sentence ‘on licence’.
One of the female jurors was dismissed from the jury before the verdict because she was spotted by court security staff acting in an ‘overly friendly’ manner towards Long, Bowers and Cole.
The Sun has reported that the family members of PC Andrew Harper’s killers have taunted his widow via social media and have referred to the prolific thieves as ‘heroes’.
The Attorney General’s Office confirmed that it had been asked to review the sentences.
John Howell, who was PC Harper’s MP, said that he would ask for a review of the manslaughter sentences.
PC Harper with his childhood sweetheart, Lissie
The MP for Henley said:
“The sentences handed down by the judge are very severe. The question is does the punishment fit the crime?”
A spokesperson for the Attorney General’s Office said:
“I can confirm that we have received a request for the cases of Henry Long, Albert Bowers and Jessie Cole to be considered under the unduly lenient sentence scheme.
“The Law Officers have 28 days from sentencing to consider the case.”
Andrew’s mum and wife have both written about their heartache and frustration over the sentences; echoed by the 352,000 people who have signed an online petition entitled: ‘Overturn a miscarriage of justice’.
Long, 19, from Mortimer, Reading, pleaded guilty to manslaughter but denied murder, saying he did not know PC Harper was being dragged behind his vehicle.
Bowers, of Moat Close, Bramley, and Cole, of Paices Hill near Reading, both 18, admitted they were passengers in the car, but denied ever seeing the police officer.
Attorney General Suella Braverman will decide by 28 August if the Court of Appeal should look at the sentences again.
PC Andrew Harper | Born 22nd March 1991 – died 15th August 2019 | #RIP
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