Prime Minister Andy Burnham has ordered the Justice Secretary to fast-track proposals aimed at preventing the early release of some of the country’s most serious offenders, including those convicted over the killing of PC Andrew Harper.
Burnham said he shared the “depth of public concern” surrounding the potential early release of Jessie Cole and Albert Bowers, who were convicted of manslaughter following the death of the Thames Valley Police officer.
PC Harper, 28, was killed in August 2019 while responding to reports of a quad bike theft in Berkshire. Cole and Bowers were subsequently sentenced to 13 years in prison for manslaughter. A third man, Henry Long, received a 16-year sentence. (The Guardian)
The prospect of Cole and Bowers becoming eligible for early release as part of measures designed to relieve pressure on the prison system has prompted strong opposition from PC Harper’s family, police representatives and members of the public.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, Burnham said he had spent recent days examining the options available to the Government and had refused to accept advice that nothing further could be done.
“I understand the depth of public concern about the potential early release of those involved with the killing of PC Andrew Harper – and I share it,” the Prime Minister said.
Burnham added that it was his responsibility as Prime Minister to do “everything within my power to minimise that possibility”, saying he was determined to find a way forward.
The Prime Minister has now instructed Justice Secretary Alex Norris to accelerate work on a new plan to create additional capacity within the prison system, with proposals expected to be presented to Parliament early next month. (The Guardian)
The work will focus on several options for freeing up prison places without requiring the early release of the most serious offenders.
These include increasing the removal of foreign national offenders to their countries of origin, seeking a resolution to the long-running issue surrounding Imprisonment for Public Protection (IPP) sentences which could enable lower-risk prisoners to be released, and examining whether greater use can be made of the existing prison estate, including parts of the female estate for male prisoners.
Burnham said the work had given him growing confidence that the Government could substantially reduce the number of prisoners requiring early release.
“I am increasingly confident that a more focused approach along these lines will allow us to reduce the number of people released early and, in the case of the most serious offenders like those convicted of the killing of PC Harper, prevent their early release altogether,” he said.
The Government will also seek discussions with opposition parties before the Justice Secretary brings the proposals before Parliament, with Burnham saying he wants to establish the “widest possible public and political consensus” around the changes.
The Prime Minister stressed that murderers are already exempt from the early release arrangements and said action taken by the Government has ensured that rapists, serious child sex offenders and those convicted of grooming offences will not be released early.
The intervention represents a further attempt by Burnham to tighten the early release system after taking office, while simultaneously addressing the severe capacity pressures facing prisons in England and Wales.
The wider prison crisis has forced ministers to confront difficult decisions over capacity. Parliamentary debate before Burnham entered Downing Street had already highlighted warnings that thousands of offenders could become eligible for early release as the prison estate approached its limits.
Burnham acknowledged that the Government would not be able to prevent every early release, warning that doing so risked the prison system reaching the point of collapse.
“I am doing all I can, but it is simply not possible to prevent all offenders from being released early without the prison system collapsing,” he said.
But he made clear that the Government would continue looking for ways to protect victims and keep the most serious offenders behind bars.
The latest intervention is likely to be welcomed by those campaigning against the early release of PC Harper’s killers, while putting the focus firmly on the Justice Secretary’s proposals when Parliament returns next month.
Further reporting is available from The Guardian and the BBC.
