Pc case jail terms referral welcomed
CRIME: The mother of a police officer who died when he tried to stop three thieves fleeing with a stolen quadbike has welcomed news their jail terms have been referred to the Attorney General over claims they are too lenient.
Henry Long, Jessie Cole and Albert Bowers were sentenced for the manslaughter of Pc Andrew Harper.
THE MOTHER of a police officer who died when he tried to stop three thieves fleeing with a stolen quadbike has welcomed news that their jail terms have been referred to the Attorney General over claims they are too lenient.
Henry Long, 19, and 18- yearolds Jessie Cole and Albert Bowers were sentenced at the Old Bailey on Friday for the manslaughter of Pc Andrew Harper.
The 28- year- old newlywed, a traffic officer for Thames Valley Police, died in horrific circumstances on August 15 last year when he tried to stop the trio fleeing after they stole a quadbike in Stanford Dingley, Berkshire.
Pc Harper was caught in a crane strap dangling from the back of a Seat Toledo driven by Long, and dragged to his death.
Pc Harper’s mother Debbie Adlam welcomed news yesterday that the Attorney General’s Office confirmed that they have been asked to consider if the jail terms handed down are too lenient.
Long, of College Piece in Mortimer, was sentenced to 16 years, while Cole, from Paices Hill, Aldermaston, Reading, and Bowers, of Windmill Corner, Mortimer Common, Reading, were each handed 13- year terms.
A spokesman for the Attorney General’s Office said: “The Attorney
General’s thoughts are with the family and friends of Pc Andrew Harper at this difficult time.
“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.”
Pc Harper’s widow Lissie had expressed bitter disappointment that her husband’s killers were cleared of murder and instead found guilty of manslaughter.
The Attorney General has no power to order a retrial, and prosecutors would either need new and compelling evidence to apply for the acquittals to be quashed, or there would need to be proven interference with the jury.
Measures were put in place to protect the jury in the Pc Harper case, and one female juror was discharged after she was seen by a prison officer to mouth “Bye boys” to the teenagers in the dock.
But trial judge Mr Justice Edis said there was no evidence that the jury had been pressured.
He told the Old Bailey: “It may be believed in some quarters that the jury was subject to some improper pressure.
“To the best of my knowledge and belief there is no truth in that at all.”
Reacting to the news, Pc Andrew Harper’s mother Debbie Adlam said: “We’ve been hoping something would change.
“Not really knowing whether we would hear anything – we certainly didn’t expect to hear anything so soon.
“We walked out from the court two weeks on the trot just feeling so let down. Andrew deserves so much better.
“And we can’t bring him back but all we can do is try and hope that there’s something better to give him the justice he deserves, and give us some kind of closure.”
Asked what sentence would be appropriate for her son’s killers, Mrs Adlam said: “I don’t think there’s any sentence ( that would be appropriate).
“Losing Andrew has just been above and beyond what we could even imagine.
“It’s just knocked us sideways. “The case just hasn’t brought justice for him.”
Speaking about the reaction of the killers who “celebrated” as the manslaughter verdict was passed, Mrs Adlam said: “Very insulting that was.
“To see them jumping and celebrating was hard enough.”
We walked out from the court two weeks on the trot just feeling so let down. Pc Andrew Harper’s mother Debbie Adlam.