PM Announces Changes to Early Release Scheme After PC Harper Murder Case

Prime Minister Andy Burnham announced that the two men convicted of murdering PC Andrew Harper will remain in prison, tightening the early‑release scheme that has been criticised by Harper’s family and police. The decision, made during an interview with BBC Breakfast, excludes all unlawful‑killing convictions—including manslaughter—from the new Sentencing Act 2026 scheme that was set to start on 1 October.

Harper, 28, was killed in 2019 while responding to a burglary in Berkshire. The killers, Jessie Cole and Albert Bowers, were sentenced to 13 years for manslaughter, and would have become eligible for early release after serving half of their terms under the scheme. Burnham said the change was driven by “public safety” and the need to address the prison system, which is currently over 97 % full in England and Wales.

The prime minister explained that extra space would be created by deporting foreign prisoners and by ending Imprisonment for Public Protection (IPP) sentences, which allow offenders to be held indefinitely until the Parole Board decides they no longer pose a risk. IPPs have been a source of debate, with 2,271 people serving them as of June, 856 of whom have never been released. Burnham said a cross‑party oversight group would monitor the transition and that the government will table legislation to terminate IPPs by the end of the Parliament.

In addition to the Harper killers, the early‑release scheme will now exclude prisoners convicted of indecent assault, death by dangerous driving, historic child sex offences, causing or allowing the death of a child, and other serious crimes such as rape, serious child sex offences and grooming. “We are tightening the list to reflect the gravity of the offences,” Burnham told the BBC. The changes will also introduce “restriction zones” to protect domestic‑violence survivors from perpetrators released early.

Thames Valley Police welcomed the announcement. Chief Constable Jason Hogg said the decision would reassure Harper’s family and other victims that serious offences are treated with the gravity they deserve. “Today is not about politics. It is about remembering Andrew, recognising the impact he had on his community and those who serve in policing today,” Hogg said. Police Commissioner Matthew Barber described the outcome as a “bittersweet victory”, praising the move but warning that resources for the probation service and police remain inadequate to keep the public safe.

Burnham said the policy will result in “hundreds” more people staying in prison. He added that the government will use the remaining capacity in the prison system to implement the changes immediately, even though new prison cells will not be available for months. He also said that the government will begin deporting foreign prisoners in early 2024, with “hundreds” of offenders expected to be returned to their home countries after sentencing.

The Sentencing Act 2026 was designed to ease overcrowding by releasing inmates earlier than previously planned. Critics, including Harper’s widow Lissie Harper and his mother Debbie Adlam, have called the prospect of early release “deplorable” and “a hash” for the victims. Conservative shadow home secretary Chris Philp has accused Burnham of re‑traumatising families with policy swings.

The justice secretary is expected to provide a precise figure for how many prisoners will be affected when he speaks in Parliament on Tuesday. For now, the prime minister’s decision ensures that those who killed a police officer, and other serious offenders, remain behind bars while the government works to secure prison space and protect public safety.

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