Police officers from across the United Kingdom have vowed to take legal action against the Labour government to prevent the early release of two men convicted of the death of a police officer.
| PULSE POINTS |
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: British police officers have announced their intention to take legal action against Prime Minister Andy Burnham if Police Constable Andrew Harper’s killers are released early by the government. 📺 DETAIL: The Police Federation, representing rank and file police officers, has vowed to take the British government to court if PC Harper’s killers are freed under its early release scheme. PC Harper, a 28-year-old police officer, was killed in 2019 while responding to a theft in Berkshire, England. Harper was caught in a strap attached to a fleeing vehicle and dragged to death. PC Harper’s killers, Jessie Cole and Albert Bowers, who were sentenced to just 13 years in prison, would be eligible for early release under the government’s scheme, which includes those convicted of manslaughter, among other crimes. A petition launched by the Police Federation against the release of PC Harper’s killers has already garnered over 100,000 signatures. Aileen O’Connor, chairwoman of the Police Federation, warned that police officers would “not forget the Government’s inexplicable and unforgivable decision” and that the Federation would “throw everything at this through a proper legal challenge.” He added: “It is a final betrayal from the politicians, who are supposed to be on our side.” 💬 KEY QUOTE: “We will do what we have to do to protect Andrew Harper’s legacy and other victims up and down the country who don’t have a platform to put their points across.” – Aileen O’Connor 🎯 IMPACT: The decision to release the killers of PC Harper has sparked outrage among police officers, PC Harper’s family, and the public. The episode is being viewed as evidence that the Labour Party is inclined to side with criminals over law-abiding citizens and police officers. This scandal comes just a few weeks into new Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s premiership, representing one of his first major challenges alongside the country’s ongoing illegal migration crisis. |
Image by Lauren Hurley / No 10 Downing Street.
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