Early prisoner release plan to proceed in September despite PC Harper family protests
The government's plan for early release of prisoners in England and Wales will go ahead in September, despite protests from the family of PC Andrew Harper, whose killers are eligible under the scheme.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
The government's plan for the early release of prisoners in England and Wales will proceed in September, despite strong protests from the family of PC Andrew Harper, whose killers are among those eligible under the scheme. The policy, designed to ease severe prison overcrowding, will see thousands of inmates freed after serving half their sentences rather than the previous two-thirds. Two of the men convicted of the manslaughter of PC Harper, Albert Bowers and Jesse Cole, who were passengers in the car that dragged the officer to his death in 2019, could be released after serving half of their 13-year sentences. The driver, Henry Long, who received a 16-year sentence, is not eligible for early release.
PC Harper's mother, Debbie Adlam, told The Telegraph that the news made her feel sick and was a slap in the face. His widow, Lissie Harper, described the possibility of early release as deplorable and said it made a mockery of justice. She has indicated she may mount a legal challenge. The Prime Minister, Andy Burnham, said he would review the policy with the new Justice Secretary, Alex Norris, but the BBC has been told that the September start date will not be affected. Burnham's comments came after a hot mic incident caught Health Secretary Wes Streeting and former Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood joking about the early release scheme, for which they later apologised.
The early release scheme was introduced by the previous Labour government in 2024 to address a prison capacity crisis, with prisons operating at near full capacity. The Ministry of Justice has defended the policy, saying it was necessary to prevent a total breakdown of law and order. Critics, including victims' groups and the Conservative Party, argue that the scheme undermines public confidence in the justice system and fails to consider the impact on victims. The new Sentencing Act, which comes into force in September, is expected to lead to the release of around 5,000 to 6,000 prisoners. The government is building new prison places at the fastest rate since the Victorian era, but the immediate pressure on capacity remains acute.
On screen
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Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, mapped by channel. Ordered by how many channels carried each claim.
| Claim | Channel 5 | BBC NEWS | BBC One | Channel 4 | GB News | ITV | Sky News |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albert Bowers and Jesse Cole, convicted of manslaughter of PC Andrew Harper, were eligible for early release under the government's prison overcrowding scheme. | · | ||||||
| The early release scheme allows prisoners to be released after serving half of their sentence instead of two-thirds. | · | ||||||
| Prime Minister said the early prisoner release scheme could be reviewed after concerns from PC Harper's family. | · | · | |||||
| The new Sentencing Act, effective September 2, will change early release rules, allowing some prisoners to be released after serving a reduced portion of their sentence. | · | · | · | ||||
| Ministers Wes Streeting and Shabana Mahmood were caught on a hot mic joking about the early release scheme. | · | · | · | · | |||
| PC Andrew Harper's widow Lissy Harper called the prospect of early release deplorable and plans to mount a legal challenge. | · | · | · | · | |||
| Around 6,000 criminals could be freed early under the scheme. | · | · | · | · | · | ||
| The government says the scheme is necessary because of prison overcrowding. | · | · | · | · | · | ||
| The government's early release plan for prisoners in England and Wales will proceed in September. | · | · | · | · | · | ||
| The Prime Minister ordered a pause to the early release scheme. | · | · | · | · | · | ||
| A victim of rape by her father said the review must exclude men who rape children for her to be reassured. | · | · | · | · | · | · | |
| Andy Burnham said the new justice secretary will review the early prisoner release policy. | · | · | · | · | · | · |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
GB News focused heavily on the political embarrassment for the new Labour government, highlighting the hot mic incident and framing the early release scheme as a 'disastrous' policy. The channel also linked the story to broader criticisms of the government's competence and its handling of immigration and tax issues.
- “Well, where streets he and Shabana Mahmood have been caught joking about the early prison release scheme Just as it's emerged that PC Harper's killers are now eligible to be freed from prison Early under that very scheme Terrible terrible timing”
- “Andy Burnham set to review Labour's disastrous early release scheme for prisoners. But what does that really mean? Is he blocking it? Has he paused it? Is he just going to take a look at it?”
Sky News provided a balanced, factual overview of the story, explaining the background of the prison overcrowding crisis and the new sentencing guidelines. It included strong emotional reactions from PC Harper's mother and the Ministry of Justice's defence, and later noted the Prime Minister's review announcement.
- “It makes me feel sick, she said. Andrew's life doesn't get to come back. It feels like a slap in the face and an insult.”
- “I feel for the family it's an appalling crime that was committed. The main perpetrator will not be subject to any early release. Of course, others involved have potentially been identified, but I've spoken to the new justice secretary, we will review the policy together and make further statements in due course.”
5 News focused on the human impact, featuring interviews with PC Harper's mother and widow. It highlighted the family's sense of betrayal and the emotional toll, while also reporting the Prime Minister's review and the hot mic incident. The tone was sympathetic to the family.
- “I feel for the family it's an appalling crime that was committed. I've spoken to the new Justice Secretary. We will review the policy together and make further statements in due course.”
- “She said she feels her son's killers are laughing at her. But she said what the PM said doesn't bring Andrew back.”
BBC ONE West provided comprehensive, straightforward reporting, including the Prime Minister's review announcement, the family's reactions, and the confirmation that the September start date would still go ahead. It also included analysis of the prison capacity situation and the hot mic incident. The tone was neutral and factual.
- “The main perpetrator will not be subject to any early release. Of course, others involved have potentially been identified. But I've spoken to the new justice secretary. We will review the policy together and make further statements in due course.”
- “It just makes you feel like we did when we were in court basically the Feeling of Andrew hasn't been given proper justice”
ITV1 focused on the emotional and political dimensions, featuring strong quotes from PC Harper's widow and the Prime Minister. It also highlighted the hot mic incident and the broader context of 40,000 convicts released early in Labour's first year. The tone was critical of the policy's impact on victims.
- “It's deplorable to me that we have reached a point where releasing prisoners early is even considered acceptable.”
- “I feel for the family it's an appalling crime that was committed. I've spoken to the new Justice Secretary. We will review the policy together and make further statements in due course.”
Channel 4 provided a critical, in-depth analysis, questioning whether the review could make a difference given the prison capacity crisis. It included a victim interview (Carol Higgins) to illustrate the human cost, and highlighted the political challenges for Andy Burnham. The tone was investigative and sceptical of the government's ability to change course.
- “Andy Burnham promises to review the early release scheme, but with only weeks to go until it starts and the prisons full, is there enough time to make changes?”
- “The only way I will feel reassured is if the review says that he will not be releasing men who rape children.”
Broadcast Timeline
News broadcasts tracked for this story, in time order.