‘Unduly lenient’ sentences handed to Pc Harper’s killers could be increased

Attorney General refers jail terms that could see gang freed before 30th birthdays to the Court of Appeal

THE three teenagers who killed Pc Andrew Harper could have their prison sentences extended after the Attorney General said she considered them to be “unduly lenient”.

Henry Long was jailed for 16 years, while Albert Bowers and Jessie Cole, his accomplices, were given 13 years each, after they were cleared of murder but convicted of manslaughter.

Mr Justice Edis, the judge, said he had not seen a “shred of remorse”, but the sentences mean all three could be free before their 30th birthdays.

Suella Braverman, the Attorney General, decided to refer the case back to the Court of Appeal after a group of

MPS wrote to her to say justice had not prevailed. In a letter signed by more than 20 MPS, Sir John Hayes, the former security minister, said the verdicts and sentences meant the “innocent had been left without closure and the vicious emboldened”.

Announcing her decision to refer the case under the unduly lenient sentencing scheme, Ms Braverman said: “Having personally considered the details of this shocking case, I have decided to refer the sentences of Pc Andrew Harper’s killers to the Court of Appeal.

“Attacks against emergency workers will not be tolerated and offenders should be punished with the greatest severity for such heinous crimes.”

Pc Harper’s widow Lissie, who is campaigning for mandatory life sentences for those who kill on-duty emergency workers, said: “The sentences for Andrew’s killers did not match their heinous crime. It was not justice and it needs to be addressed.”

Mrs Harper, who had only been married for four weeks when her husband was dragged to his death by the gang, has asked for a meeting with Priti Patel, the Home Secretary, to discuss the possible introduction of Harper’s Law.

Speaking for the first time since the sentencing, Pc Harper’s father Phil, backed the campaign for the new law.

He said: “These people are there to protect us and we must do all we can to support, appreciate and respect them – from doctors, nurses and paramedics to firefighters, prison officers and police officers, many of whom have been attacked, injured or killed in the past.”

The unduly lenient sentencing scheme allows victims of crime, their families, prosecutors and the public to ask for a sentence to be reviewed. The Attorney General can only ask for a review under the scheme if she considers that an error was made by the trial judge or it was outside the range of reasonable sentences available.

Bowers and Cole this week lodged applications with the Court of Appeal seeking permission to challenge their convictions and sentences.