FAMILY'S MISSION
PC ANDREW Harper’s mum has joined his widow’s call for tougher jail terms on cop killers.
Heartbroken Debbie Adlam today launched the Andrew’s Law campaign for a “mandatory” 20-year minimum prison sentence for those convicted of killing police officers.
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It follows widow Lissie Harper’s call for a life sentence for those convicted of causing the death of emergency service workers, including police, fire or emergency medical workers.
Speaking today, Debbie said that “something needs to change” after those responsible for her son's death were handed 16-year and 13-year sentences at the Old Bailey on Friday.
As part of the campaign, Debbie is calling for a minimum term of 20 years for anyone who takes an officer's life, with no chance of parole during that time.
Launching it today, Debbie said: “We've come to realise that, with the outcome of the trial as it stands, something needs to change.
"He is worth much more than this and we've been thinking for some time that something needs to be brought in to protect our police officers.
We're looking to bring in a minimum term - 20 years. No parole, no reductions
PC Harper's mum Debbie Adlam
"There's nobody looking out for them and we aim to change that."
Mrs Adlam added: "We're looking to bring in a minimum term - 20 years. No parole, no reductions."
Currently defendants under the age of 21 receive lower sentences, but Mrs Adlam believes this should end.
Debbie added: "As far as their age and the reductions go, my personal thoughts are there is no sense whatsoever in being 18 or 19 and getting time off your sentence.
"My gut turns when I think about that because you can change your gender, you can get a mortgage, you can serve in the Army, and the thing that really bugs me is you can be on a jury - yet you are not treated as an adult until you're 21 in the judicial system.
"That can't be right."
ANDREW'S LAW
It comes as PC Harper's widow, Lissie Harper, has launched her own Andrew's Law campaign for full-life prison terms for those who kill emergency services workers.
She said: "I pledge to my late husband to never stop until I have made the difference that this country clearly needs.
"I vow to stand strong and firm with so many other honourable people in our country to make the changes that we clearly know to be justified."
Lissie shared a new picture of herself and PC Harper as she launched the campaign.
Her cause is being backed by the Police Federation of England and Wales, which represents thousands of officers up to the rank of chief inspector.
The three teenagers were convicted of manslaughter over PC Harper's death, after he responded to a reported burglary.
They were found not guilty of murdering the police officer after the jury had deliberated for almost two days.
Henry Long, 19, Jessie Cole and Albert Bowers, both 18, hugged each other to the sound of their cheering families as the verdict of not guilty to murder was read out in court.
Bowers and Cole were instead convicted of the lesser charge of manslaughter - which Long had previously admitted.
Long, who was driving the car when the Thames Valley Police officer was dragged to his death while responding to a quad bike theft on August 15, was caged for 16 years.
I pledge to my late husband to never stop until I have made the difference that this country clearly needs.
Lissie Harper
Bowers and Cole were handed 13 years in prison and banned from driving for two years.
But Attorney General Suella Braverman will now look into whether the jail time handed down was too lenient after a request to review the case.
Lissie added: "As a widow of a police officer - a title in which I would give everything to not have - I have witnessed first-hand the lenient and insufficient way in which the justice system deals with criminals who take the lives of our emergency workers.
“I have grown close to our under-appreciated protectors ever more since the death of Andrew, I have been enveloped in love and support from not only the police and other emergency workers but so many of the general public too who I know fully support my feelings over the verdict and sentences in which Andrew’s killers have received.
“The people responsible for wreaking utter despair and grief in all of our lives will spend an inadequate amount of time behind bars.
"These men who showed no remorse, no guilt or sorrow for taking such an innocent and heroic life away will find themselves able to live out the rest of their lives free and able to commit more crimes and continue to put people in danger when they are released in a very small number of years.”
It came after the court heard a car driven by Long at "breakneck speed" swung PC Andrew Harper "like a pendulum" along a country lane on August 15, 2019.
PC Harper was in the process of apprehending the teen gang during a botched robbery near Reading, Berks.
The jury came back with the verdict after deliberating for two days, which left his tearful widow Lissie in tears.
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Jurors were told how the traveller teens had tried to steal the £10,000 bike from the home of Peter Wallis in remote Bradfield Southend, when they were apprehended by PC Harper.
The gang had cased the property earlier in the day and later returned masked and armed with an axe, crowbars and a length of pipe to use against anyone in their way.
PC Harper's devastated widow Lissie wrote an open letter to Boris Johnson, Home Secretary Priti Patel and former Labour Home Secretary Lord (David) Blunkett urging them and others "to right such a despicable wrong for our country".
At sentencing, all three were warned they will not be eligible for release until they have served at least two thirds of their sentence - meaning "leader of the gang" Long could be back on the streets in just ten years.
And his accomplices could be out in just eight years if they serve the minimum - despite Mr Justice Edis telling them the killing was "very close to murder".
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.
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."
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In her letter to the Prime Minister Lissie Harper said she "implored" him to hear her request.
She wrote: "If there is even the slightest chance that this abominable injustice can be rectified then I will do everything I possibly can to ensure that it is."
Lissie added: "I implore you to hear my words, see the facts that are laid out before us, and I ask with no expectations other than hope that you might help me to make these changes be considered, to ensure that Andrew is given the retrial that he unquestionably deserves and to see that the justice system in our country is the solid ethical foundation that it rightly should be. Not the joke that so many of us now view it to be."
The PM's spokesman said he would respond to Mrs Harper's letter "formally once legal proceedings have concluded.”
'ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTING'
The killers' families wept and gasped as the sentences were handed down, while Lissie's mum Julie Beckett applauded.
Sentencing, the judge said nothing he can do can “restore Andrew Harper to his loving wife or family", adding: "His devastating loss in terrible circumstances will follow his family for ever.”
Describing the killers as "young, unintelligent but professional criminals", he added none of them had "shown anything resembling remorse".
The soft sentences dished out to Long, Bowers and Cole were met with fury by social media users.
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One person wrote: "Absolutely disgusting, no justice for him, his family or his beautiful wife. Another failing by the system."
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Another read: "Disgraceful sentencing."
One person fumed: "So that's all his life was worth then? I feel sick at this verdict."
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