Yahoo News Family of Pc Andrew Harper welcome jail term review for killers
The family of a British police officer dragged to his death from the back of a car while trying to stop three thieves has welcomed a review into their jail sentences.
Henry Long, 19, and Jessie Cole and Albert Bowers, both 18, were sentenced at the Old Bailey on Friday for the manslaughter of PC Andrew Harper.
The 28-year-old newlywed, a traffic officer for Thames Valley Police, died on August 15 last year when he tried to stop the three running from the scene after they stole a quad bike in Stanford Dingley, Berkshire.
He was dragged to his death after getting caught in a strap dangling from the back of a car that Long was driving.
Long was handed a 16-year sentence, while Cole and Bowers were both given 13 years in prison. The Attorney General’s Office said on Tuesday that it has been asked to consider if the men's sentences are too lenient.
The Attorney General’s office has 28 days from sentencing to look over the case. If they find that sentences are too short, they will ask the Court of Appeal to review them.
PC Harper’s mother Debbie Adlam said that the jail terms were “horrible” for the slain officer's family, and likened it to “being punched”.
Mrs Adlam said: “Andrew deserves so much better. And we can’t bring him back but all we can do is try and hope that there’s something better to give him the justice he deserves, and give us some kind of closure.
“Losing Andrew has just been above and beyond what we could even imagine. It’s just knocked us sideways.
“The case just hasn’t brought justice for him. The wider public has made that very obvious – they are all very angry and police officers deserve better than has been received in this case.”
Long admitted manslaughter, while Cole and Bowers were convicted of manslaughter but cleared of murder. They were seen laughing and hugging in court when the jury returned the verdict.
PC Harper's widow Lissie Harper spoke of her great disappointment at the men being convicted of the lesser charge last week.
And Mrs Adlam echoed her sentiment, calling the trio's reaction "very insulting".
She added: "To see them jumping and celebrating was hard enough. They got away with it really.
“But now hopefully the sentence can be increased to something that is a little more realistic for the crime that they’ve committed.
“We’ve lost our son, we’ll never see our son again and they are still going to be young men able to come out and continue to live in the way they choose.”
It is unlikely that the men will have their acquittal for murder overturned, as the Attorney General has no power to order a retrial, and interference with the jury would have to be proved.
The jury was given protection in this case, and one female juror was discharged after a prison officer saw her mouth "bye, boys" to the trio.
But trial judge Mr Justice Edis said there was no evidence that the jury had been pressured.
He told the Old Bailey: “It may be believed in some quarters that the jury was subject to some improper pressure.
“To the best of my knowledge and belief, there is no truth in that at all.”
Additional reporting by Press Association.
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