Chief Constable Jason Hogg of Thames Valley Police is considering joining legal action to block the early release of Jessie Cole and Albert Bowers, two teenagers who were sentenced to 13 years for the manslaughter of PC Andrew Harper in 2019. They could apply for early release after serving half their sentences, which would be around 6.5 years, given that they received a 13-year sentence. Hogg and the Police Federation are discussing potential legal action, with Hogg stating he would "consider" joining if advised to do so by lawyers. The issue is that prisoners convicted of manslaughter remain eligible for early release under new rules introduced in England and Wales.
Written by the local model on 2026-08-21,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Thames Valley Police Chief Jason Hogg is considering joining legal action to block the early release of two teenagers, Jessie Cole and Albert Bowers, who were convicted of manslaughter in the death of PC Andrew Harper. The police chief spoke out on a BBC radio program, saying that public opinion on their potential release was "overwhelming". PC Harper was killed in 2019 when he was dragged by a car down a country road in Berkshire, and Cole and Bowers were each sentenced to 13 years for manslaughter. They will become eligible for early release after serving half of their sentences, which would be around 6-7 years.
The chief constable is urging the government to reconsider its position on early release, as only prisoners convicted of murder, rape, grooming, and serious child sex offenses are excluded from the scheme in England and Wales. The government has stated that it is trying to avert a prison capacity crisis.
Meanwhile, PC Harper's widow, Lissie Harper, has started a petition calling for her husband's killers to be denied early release, which has gained over 440,000 signatures. She said she "will not give up" in her fight against the early release of Cole and Bowers.
Written for “PC Harper Murder Case” on 2026-08-31,
grounded in this article and the 1 other(s) covering the same event.
Why this leaning score
The use of words like 'overwhelming' and 'pervese' suggests a strong emotional investment in the outcome, which leans towards a sympathetic tone. Additionally, phrases such as 'I do not believe that people responsible for taking the life of another citizen should be released early' imply a moral judgment, but one that is more indignant than argumentative, also pointing to a right-leaning leaning.
Written under an earlier scoring contract, which gave a paragraph
rather than checkable quotes. Re-analysing this article replaces it.
Leaning score +0.75 for article 447 · logged 2026-08-05
- Published
The chief constable of Thames Valley Police says he will consider joining legal action to block the release of two of PC Andrew Harper's killers.
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he → publish → killers
Chief Constable Jason Hogg told the BBC he was in discussion with the Police Federation of England and Wales over the matter, adding public opinion on their potential release was "overwhelming".
PC Harper, who served with Thames Valley, was killed in 2019 when he was dragged by a car down a country road as three teenagers fled the scene of a quad bike theft in Berkshire.
The two passengers in the car, Jessie Cole and Albert Bowers, were sentenced in 2020 to 13 years for manslaughter and could apply for early release after serving half of their sentences.
The driver of the vehicle, Henry Long, received a 16-year sentence and is not eligible for early release.
uncertain
driver → tell → release
Speaking on the Today programme, Thames Valley Police chief Jason Hogg urged the government to reconsider its position.
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Hogg → speak → position
Only prisoners convicted of murder, rape, grooming, and serious child sex offences will be excluded from the scheme in England and Wales - while those convicted of manslaughter remain eligible.
"I fully understand the challenges around the crisis in the prison system," he said.
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he → convict → system
"But the decision made and where that line has been drawn, I do not believe that people responsible for taking the life of another citizen in our country should be released early."
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people → make → country
He said on Wednesday: "I was informed yesterday that the Police Federation are considering legal action, I am in discussions with the Police Federation with regards to this matter".
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I → say → matter
Asked whether this meant he would join them, he said: "I think we need to get some legal advice in relation to this.
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we → ask → this
This is something I certainly would consider."
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I → consider → ?
After campaigning by PC Harper's wife Lissie following his death, Parliament passed "Harper's Law", which gives mandatory life sentences to the killers of emergency services workers.
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which → campaign → workers
It doubles the maximum penalty from 12 months to two years for those who assault police or other emergency workers.
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who → double → police
But the new rules - introduced in 2022 - did not apply in the sentencing of the police officer's killers, and so do not prevent them from being released early.
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rules → introduce → them
Hogg said: "The law isn't retrospective and we all understand that, but the fact that they are released early simply seems perverse."
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they → say → that
Aileen O'Connor, branch chair of Thames Valley Police Federation also told the BBC her organisation was considering legal action.
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organisation → tell → action
"We are in talks this morning, I'll get an update this afternoon whether that is an avenue that we can explore and if it is an avenue we can explore then I'll get behind that 110%," she told BBC Breakfast.
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she → get → Breakfast
As for what shape a potential legal challenge might take, she said: "Ultimately that's for the specialists, the barristers and those in that legal sector to make that decision whether there is a challenge there.
uncertain
specialists → take → decision
"If there is a challenge then we will look to take that challenge."
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we → be → challenge
Sentencing Minister Jake Richards told the BBC it would be wrong to pick out individual cases and block two of PC Harper's killers from early release.
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it → tell → release
Although the government had reviewed what sentences would be excluded from the early release scheme, he confirmed "manslaughter is not one of those offences".
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manslaughter → review → offences
Richards said: "It would be wrong to pick out individual cases within different offending cohorts.
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It → say → cohorts
On Tuesday Justice Secretary Alex Norris warned a prison capacity crisis would be likely if fewer prisoners were allowed early release.
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prisoners → warn → release
Norris apologised to families who would be affected by the early release scheme and stressed that the government wanted to go further "but we cannot".
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we → apologise → scheme
"We have to make this decision, we've been able to make some changes to it, but we have to have the rest of the sentencing act changes otherwise we run out of prison places in November and that can't happen," he said.
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he → have → November
The justice secretary said 5,000 extra releases will take place in 10 batches from October.
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releases → say → October
Approximately 1,000 prisoners will now not be released early following the revision to the scheme, he clarified.
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he → release → scheme
The government also announced an extra £10m will go to front-line victim support services, including a new national helpline.
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m → announce → helpline
