Priti: The cowards who attack police have no place on our streets
Home Secretary’s pledge to officers after PC Harper trial
PRITI Patel has voiced her fury over the ‘cruel’ killing of PC Andrew Harper and vowed that criminals who attack police officers have ‘no place on our streets’.
Writing exclusively for the Daily Mail, the Home Secretary expresses her devastation at the death of the 28-year-old constable after he was dragged along behind a getaway car for more than a mile.
She insists: ‘Let me be clear – those cowards who attack our police and emergency services have no place on our streets.’
Her declaration comes amid widespread calls for action in the wake of a chaotic trial which saw three teenagers acquitted of the policeman’s murder.
His widow Lissie has called for a retrial after blasting the court case as ‘atrociously below board’, and suggesting jurors may have been intimidated by the defendants’ families.
In her article for today’s Mail, the Home Secretary says: ‘PC Andrew Harper was a hero. He epitomised the bravery and sacrifice that make our police the best in the world.
‘To see a brave officer, newly married with his whole life ahead of him, killed trying to keep his community safe – evoked anger and grief from the whole nation.
‘The pain and anguish this terrible crime inflicted on PC Harper’s widow Lissie is unimaginable. No wife should see her husband off to work, only for him not to return. ‘
She adds that she is ‘committed to doing everything in my power’ to support the police, giv
‘Incredible bravery and extraordinary sacrifice’
ing them ‘tools and resources they need to keep themselves, and us, safe’.
She added: ‘PC Harper died in the line of duty protecting the public and his incredible bravery and extraordinary sacrifice will not be forgotten.’
One of a number of petitions calling for Henry Long, 19, Albert Bowers and Jessie Cole, both 18, to face a retrial for the murder of the Thames Valley officer had reached almost 260,000 signatures last night.
The trio were all found not guilty of murder at the Old Bailey last week but will be sentenced tomorrow for manslaughter.
PC Harper was killed when he was dragged more than a mile after his ankle became caught in a tow strap of a getaway car as he tried to stop the teenagers stealing a quadbike.
Mrs Patel’s intervention came as Boris Johnson promised to formally respond to an open letter from Mrs Harper.
A spokesman for No 10 said the Prime Minister’s thoughts were with the officer’s family and friends but stopped short of commenting on the trial’s outcome. ‘The bravery which PC Harper showed in intercepting those criminals is a reminder of the risks our police officers face every day to keep us safe,’ he said. ‘His courage, dedication and professionalism represents the very best of our police – and of all of us.
‘The PM will respond to
Mrs Harper’s letter formally once legal proceedings have concluded.’
Mrs Harper, 29, who married the officer just four weeks before he was killed, wrote an open letter to the PM, Mrs Patel and former Labour home secretary David Blunkett calling for ‘the retrial that he unquestionably deserves.’ The trial, which had to be restarted because of the pandemic, saw a juror dismissed on the penultimate day after she was heard to say to the defendants ‘goodbye boys’ as she left court.
Judge Mr Justice Andrew Edis spent almost an entire day examining evidence before dismissing her and allowing the trial to proceed. It also emerged that police received intelligence the jury might be ‘nobbled’ by the families of the defendants, who are travellers.
The Attorney General is facing calls to review the verdict. Dr David Green, of the Civitas think-tank, said it seemed unlikely there would be a retrial but said there were ‘very clear powers’ to appeal a sentence’.