Having been failed by the criminal justice system once, Andrew’s family are about to be failed again, writes the former Home Secretary
PC Andrew Harper was a hero whose murder shocked the country and the news that two of his three killers could be released early and soon is a damning indictment on the justice system under Labour.
This news also broke as senior ministers were caught laughing about early release schemes, adding insult to injury.
Andrew’s courage, bravery and dedication to his work meant he stood out as an outstanding policeman.
He was also a devoted family man, married to Lissie just weeks before his life was taken away in August 2019.
As Home Secretary at the time, it was one of the most upsetting and sad days of my time in office to be briefed on the incident and hearing how he was killed in the line of duty.
Meeting his colleagues and family and attending his funeral was deeply moving.
Following the trial and conviction of those responsible, the sentences given to his killers were too lenient and did not reflect the horrors of the crime committed or provide justice to Andrew and his loved ones.
The justice system had failed the family and along with Prime Minister Boris Johnson and other ministerial colleagues, we resolved to change the law to stop this happening again.
I was part of a Conservative Government that changed the law to introduce mandatory life sentences for those who kill police officers and other emergency service workers.
This was Harper's Law – brought in following a campaign by Andrew’s widow, Lissie, and would stop the courts being able to give out lenient sentences.
I pay tribute to her and Andrew’s family for the dignity they showed and their determination to get the law changed in his memory.
We couldn’t change the length of the sentences given out to Andrew’s killers, but we could make a difference for the future. But having been failed by the criminal justice system once, Andrew’s family are about to be failed again.
His killers should not be able to benefit from Labour’s early release scheme.
When it was brought in two years ago, Labour ministers were warned of the consequences and that dangerous offenders could benefit from it and it is now plain to see they did not do enough to stop injustices like this from happening.
Dangerous criminals who commit horrendous crimes like this and are involved in taking lives should be kept behind bars not let out because of ill-thought-through political decisions made by incompetent Labour ministers.
Ministers today in the media are seeking to downplay the seriousness of this matter by saying that the driver is not covered by Labour’s early release scheme – and this is just hours after they were caught out laughing about the early release of criminals.
Just because the driver may not be eligible for early release, it is still abhorrent that the two others responsible are.
The public expects action to be taken rather than the feeble excuses being given to justify this failed policy.
How the Labour Government and the new Justice Secretary responds to the possible early release of two of his killers will tell us whether they are serious about punishing criminals or continue to laugh and joke about the release of killers, rapists and other dangerous offenders.
They must take urgent action to keep Andrew’s killers behind bars where they belong.
