Last night, the mandatory sentence for killing a 999 operator or officer of police was made.
This legal amendment is an important victory for PC Andrew Harper’s widow, who died in a home invasion.
Lissie Harper, 30, was left outraged after the trio who caused his death escaped with sentences as low as 13 years – and smirked in the dock.
‘Harper’s Law’ will apply to any killer of an on-duty police officer, fireman, paramedic or prison officer – and also to a criminal who kills medics providing NHS care.
Through an amendment to The Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill, the change will be added to the statute books early next year.
Lissie Harper, 30, was left outraged after the trio who caused her husband’s death escaped with sentences as low as 13 years – and smirked in the dock
Justice Secretary Dominic Raab today pays tribute to Mrs Harper, saying she suffered a ‘burning sense of injustice’. Writing exclusively for the Daily Mail, he adds: ‘We all owe a debt of gratitude to our dedicated emergency workers. I want them to know we’ve got their backs.
‘I pay tribute to Lissie’s determination to change the law, so that the families of those killed while simply doing their jobs get the justice they deserve.’
He also praises Mrs Harper for her ‘remarkable’ 15-month campaign backed by the rank-and-file Police Federation.
She said last night: ‘It’s been a long journey and a lot of hard work. I know Andrew would be proud to see Harper’s Law reach this important milestone.
‘Emergency service workers require extra protection. I know all too well how they are put at risk – and into the depths of danger – on a regular basis on behalf of society. That protection is what Harper’s Law will provide and I am delighted that it will soon become a reality.
‘I would like to thank my incredible Harper’s Law team as well as the public for their unstinting support for such an important campaign – those who believed that the right thing is worth doing despite the hurdles and challenges that we needed to overcome.
‘And for the families of those that this law will provide justice for, we’re almost there. Your continued support has kept me pushing forward.’
Four hours after his shift ended, PC Harper (28), responded to reports that a quad bike had been stolen from Stanford Dingley, Berkshire.
His legs got caught up in the strap that was attached to Henry Long’s Seat Toledo as he approached them. Long continued to accelerate.
PC Harper’s colleague, PC Andrew Shaw, later described how the officer fell and disappeared from view, like a waterskier with his ‘feet whipped forward’. Before his body could be dislodged from the ground, the newlywed woman was pulled for over a mile and dragged at an average speedof 43 mph.
Long was sentenced to 16 year imprisonment after his trial. He could be freed after serving two-thirds of the sentence – or ten years and eight months.
After serving their respective 13-year terms, Jessie Cole (18) and Albert Bowers (18), will both be eligible for automatic release.
The Court of Appeal rejected a bid by the attorney general to increase their sentences, and the three have received more than £780,000 in legal aid. Long told police he ‘didn’t give a f*** about any of this’ when he was initially charged.
He had just married Mrs Harper a month earlier and was yet to take them on their honeymoon.
Mrs Harper has previously condemned the sentences as ‘inadequate’ punishment for the ‘brutal and criminal way’ in which her husband was killed.
Home Secretary Priti Patel said: ‘Those who seek to harm our emergency service workers represent the very worst of humanity and it is right that future killers be stripped of the freedom to walk our streets with a life sentence.’
According to a Ministry of Justice spokesperson, the new penalty will go into effect as soon possible. In exceptional cases, judges will only be permitted to suspend the minimum life sentence.
Lissie Harper, wife of PC Andrew Harper. Justice Secretary Dominic Raab today pays tribute to Mrs Harper, saying she suffered a ‘burning sense of injustice’
The full details of this new sentence are yet to be released. Officials said the new sentence would only apply if an emergency worker was not directly responding to any crime. The victim wouldn’t need to know that an offense was being committed before they die.
Anyone convicted of murder already faces a mandatory life sentence and, since 2015, a criminal convicted of murdering a police officer receives a ‘whole life’ tariff, meaning they will die behind bars.
However, murder victims who escape charges and are instead convicted for a lesser offense of manslaughter will often be punished less severely. This is the primary focus of legal changes.
I want 999 staff to know we’ve got their backs
DAILY MAIL BY JUSTICE SERRETARY DOMINIC RAMAB
Andrew Harper, a PC from the Thames Valley Police was only 28 years of age and was married less than one month before he was shot in action in August 2019.
He was trying to capture burglary suspects, but a belt was attached to their cars.
The men dragged PC Harper a mile, at speeds greater than 40 mph.
On the spot, he was declared dead, leaving behind his devastated wife Lissie, and family members, as well as many close friends.
After the murder, three teenage boys were convicted for manslaughter. Henry Long received a sentence of 16 years for taking PC Harper’s life, while Albert Bowers and Jessie Cole received 13 years each.
Lissie Harper was left with a burning sense of injustice at the length of the sentences given to her husband’s killers. She was convinced that the punishment they received did not reflect the seriousness of her husband’s crime and has been campaigning to change the law for 16 months. She doesn’t want any other family to go through what she and Andrew’s wider family have suffered.
But as harrowing as PC Harper’s case is, there is a broader principle at stake. Our emergency personnel are all due a debt to us, particularly after the recent pandemic.
Mr Raab said: ‘As harrowing as PC Harper’s case is, there is a broader principle at stake. All of us owe an obligation of gratitude to emergency workers, in particular after the two-year pandemic.
Even though they know the risks involved, they still put themselves at risk to ensure our safety. Yet, last year saw more than 10,000 assaults against emergency personnel, which included paramedics, firefighters, and police officers. I want them to know we’ve got their backs. In 2018, when I was junior justice minister, the maximum punishment for assaulting emergency personnel was increased from six months to one year. Now we’re passing a new law through parliament to double this again – to two years.
We still have to move forward.
So I am introducing ‘Harper’s Law’ – which will require mandatory life sentences for anyone who unlawfully kills an emergency worker in the course of their duties, unless there are truly exceptional circumstances.
This law would have existed when PC Harper passed away, and his murderers would have faced life sentences.
I pay tribute to Lissie’s determination to change the law, so that the families of those killed while simply doing their jobs get the justice they deserve.
The Government has increased the number of police officers, made it more difficult for the most severe criminals to spend time behind bars and built prisons that will allow them to tackle crime with the strongest possible approach.
We will stand for victims, police officers and frontline emergency responders.
That’s how we can build back a stronger, safer and a fairer country.