Andrew Harper petition shows strength of feeling across the country

13 August 2026

A petition calling for those responsible for the death of PC Andrew Harper to remain in prison is approaching one million signatures.

And Northamptonshire branch chair Sam Dobbs says the figures highlight the strength of feeling across the length and breadth of the country.

Sam is now urging all members to add their signature, if they have not already done so, to maintain pressure on the Government to overturn its current position.

“As it stands at the minute, prisoners found guilty of manslaughter are due to benefit from the Government’s early release scheme,” said Sam. “Manslaughter is not just a nebulous concept, it’s not just a category of prisoner, it is given to people who are responsible for the unlawful killing of a human being without the malice or intent required for a murder conviction.

 

PC Andrew Harper

 

“Those in prison with manslaughter convictions are responsible for the death of another person and in this case, a police colleague doing his job.

“As police officers, we are responsible for the protection of life and I think that is why the potential early release of the prisoners who were found guilty of manslaughtering PC Andrew Harper has so fundamentally offended the whole of policing.”

The first releases under the new Sentencing Act are expected later this year and that could lead to thousands of prisoners becoming eligible for early release back into society.

It was the discovery that Jessie Cole and Albert Bowers could potentially fall within the scope of the new arrangements that brought the issue into sharp focus.

Manslaughter

Cole and Bowers were both sentenced to 13 years in custody for manslaughter following the death of PC Harper in August 2019, when he was struck and dragged behind a vehicle. 

The pair had been passengers in the vehicle involved in the incident and were 17 at the time. The driver, Henry Long, received a 16-year sentence and is not eligible for the scheme.

Harper’s Law was subsequently introduced following a campaign by PC Harper’s widow, Lissie Harper. It provides for mandatory life sentences in certain cases of unlawful-act manslaughter involving emergency workers, subject to exceptional circumstances.

However, the legislation was not retrospective and therefore did not apply to those convicted before PC Harper’s death.

The huge public response to the petition demonstrates that concerns over the issue extends well beyond policing.

Sam said he was delighted with the response from both the public and those within policing.

“All Federation chairs and secretaries were together this week and we heard an update on the campaign from Aileen O’Connor, the chair of the Thames Valley Police Federation.

Campaign

“I would like to congratulate Aileen for her relentless efforts to promote awareness of the petition. There would not be an organisation in the country who would not be pleased with achieving almost one million signatures to support a campaign.

“I’d also like to congratulate our Chief Constable for signing it and other Chiefs and officers of every rank across the whole of policing for putting their name to the petition.

“That includes every chair and secretary of every police federation branch as well. Everyone has come together to stand up for something we believe strongly in.

“This is not about giving the Government a bloody nose. It is normal people saying ‘this is not right’ and trying to do something about it.”

Sam said Northamptonshire Police Federation would continue to support the campaign and urged anyone who has not yet added their name, to do so.

Add your name to the petition. 

READ MORE: Police leaders unite in opposition to early release of PC Andrew Harper's killers.