A case that erodes our faith in justice

The horrific killing of Pc Andrew Harper cried out for justice. On August 15, 2019, he was called to the scene of the attempted theft of a quad bike. The three teenage boys involved sped away in their car; Pc Harper became caught in the loading strap attached to their vehicle. He was dragged for over a mile for 91 seconds, and he died on the road. Yesterday, his killers were found guilty – not of murder, but for the lesser charge of manslaughter, a verdict that his widow clearly believes is shamefully insufficient.

Pc Harper was an exceptional citizen – a newlywed who was raising money for cancer research before his death, a committed officer who responded to a call from a distressed member of the public after his shift had ended.

His killers claimed that they were not aware that he was tied to the car; the prosecution countered that Pc Harper was 6ft and 14 stone, that the driver, Henry Long, swerved violently, as if to try to shake the policeman off. During the trial, the accused smirked, joked and laughed – one of them even fell asleep – and when the verdict was read, some of their family members were heard to cheer as Pc Harper’s wife sobbed. When Long was charged, he made it clear that he did not care about it.

Attacks upon the police are especially heinous offences. These men and women put their lives on the line for our safety; the legal process should be mindful of the risks that they are willing to take. When police officers are targeted, wounded or killed, it represents such a devastating blow against public order that we all have a stake in seeing the strongest penalty applied.

The allegations of potential jury tampering which have dogged this case are particularly troubling and the Attorney General should now look carefully at whether or not an inquiry is necessary.

There is growing public concern about the operation of our justice system. From gross errors in the probation regime, which saw serial rapist Joseph Mccann released to offend again, to light sentences handed out in order to relieve pressure on prisons, the legal regime in modern Britain is systematically eroding confidence among a public who believe, rightly, that the primary duty of the state is to maintain law and order. This disquieting case will have undermined their trust even further.