Video resurfaces of PC Andrew Harper's remorseless killers laughing at court as Burnham is forced to review Labour's 'deplorable' early release scheme

By ARTHUR PARASHAR, SENIOR REPORTER and RYAN HOOPER, CRIME CORRESPONDENT Published: 10:25, 23 July 2026 | Updated: 10:27, 23 July 2026 A video has resurfaced of two of PC Andrew Harper's remorseless killers laughing as they are led away from court in handcuffs. PC Harper, 28, was killed in the line of duty on August 15, 2019, when he was dragged behind a car for more than a mile as he tried to stop three teenage thugs from stealing a quad bike in Sulhamstead, Berkshire. Henry Long, the 18-year-old driver, and passengers Jessie Cole and Albert Bowers, both 17 at the time, were jailed for manslaughter after a trial at the Old Bailey in 2020. The tragic death of the Thames Valley Police constable sparked public fury at the time and fresh anger has erupted this week after it emerged that two of the killers could be freed under Labour's early release scheme. PC Harper's mother, Debbie Adlam, said she felt 'sick' after receiving a letter from the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) confirming Cole and Bowers could be eligible for release halfway through their 13-year sentences. Long was jailed for 16 years and is not eligible. Footage has now resurfaced of Cole and Bowers laughing and goading after a court appearance at Reading Magistrates' Court on September 19, 2019, just 35 days after killing PC Harper.  Bowers can be seen sticking his tongue out as the smirking pair are taken away in handcuffs.  Ms Adlam previously told of her agony at watching her son's killers laugh and joke in court, declaring: 'It was an insult not to see any remorse.' Albert Bowers, left, and Jessie Cole, centre, were seen laughing and joking as they left Reading Magistrates' Court in 2019 Lissie Harper, the widow of hero PC Andrew Harper, blasted Labour's soft justice prisoner release scheme as 'deplorable' Henry Long, left, Jessie Cole, centre, and Albert Bowers, right, were jailed over PC Harper's death Meanwhile Lissie Harper, the widow of PC Harper, previously told the Mail: 'Whenever they left the court room we could all hear them shouting, like football fans on the terraces.  'They looked over at us a lot, but not with any kind of sorrow I could see. I sensed they were trying to get a reaction from us. Like this was just a game. 'I'd expected my tears to come in buckets yet, when my eyes met theirs, my only thought was: how could these hollow people have taken such a beautiful life away?' Speaking publicly for the first time in four years, Mrs Harper last night blasted Labour's early release scheme as 'deplorable'. She accused politicians of 'making decisions from behind a desk that will have real and lasting consequences for victims' families like mine'. Following her dramatic intervention, the future of the release programme was in doubt.  Prime Minister Andy Burnham reiterated a previous vow to review it – a flagship Labour policy to ease prison overcrowding – when questioned by journalists during a visit to Bath. The Ministry of Justice refused to confirm reports that prison governors had been told to pause the scheme.  But a source told the Daily Mail that officials have been summoned to an online meeting with members of the Prison and Probation Service today to discuss it.  Mrs Harper led senior police, campaigners and MPs in demanding Mr Burnham intervene to stop Cole and Bowers being released among waves of killers, rapists and violent criminals from September. She fought for Harper's Law – a mandatory life sentence to anyone who kills an emergency worker in the line of duty. But yesterday she said the widespread political support which changed the law in her husband's memory now felt 'forgotten'. In a powerful statement, Mrs Harper said: 'It is deplorable to me that we have reached a point where releasing prisoners early is even considered acceptable.' She added: 'We speak of justice, accountability and standing with victims, yet decisions like this do the opposite. 'They tell victims their suffering matters less, and offenders that the punishment handed down by our courts is no longer what they will actually serve. 'For victims' families, this is not about politics. It is about whether a sentence means what a judge says it means. It is about whether justice is something we truly believe in, or something that can be negotiated away when it becomes inconvenient.' Mrs Harper signed off by saying: 'Andrew deserves better. Every victim deserves better. And the British public deserve a justice system they can have faith in.' Albert Bowers sticks his tongue out during a court appearance at Reading Magistrates Court' in September 2019 PC Harper and Lissie were married just four weeks before the Thames Valley Police officer was killed in 2019  Pressure on the Prime Minister to act was already mounting after Cabinet ministers Wes Streeting and Shabana Mahmood were caught laughing about the scheme hours before the news about PC Harper's killers emerged. Mr Burnham said their behaviour was not acceptable. Mr Harper, 28, died in horrific circumstances when he was caught in a towing strap between the stolen quad bike and the teenagers' getaway car. He was dragged for more than a mile at 'sickening' speed down winding country lanes near Sulhamstead in Berkshire before, mortally wounded, he was shaken loose, a court heard.  His injuries were so grave that those arriving on the scene initially thought they had come across a deer carcass. PC Harper had been due to clock off hours earlier, but decided to respond to one final call before starting his honeymoon with childhood sweetheart Mrs Harper.  The pair had been married for only four weeks. Cole and Bowers were handed 13 years in custody for manslaughter after a trial at the Old Bailey in 2020. The judge described the trio as 'unintelligent, but professional criminals', and said they would each serve two-thirds of their sentence.  Long, then 18, was handed a life sentence with a minimum term of 16 years. He is ineligible for early release under current Labour plans. Dame Priti Patel, the former Tory home secretary who helped create Harper's Law, said releasing Bowers and Cole early would be 'outrageous'.  She added: 'These offenders should be kept behind bars where they belong.' Former Tory justice secretary Robert Buckland KC, who also worked on the legislation with Mrs Harper, told the Mail that early release would be 'an insult' to PC Harper's memory.  PC Harper was killed in the line of duty when he was dragged behind a car for more than a mile as he tried to stop three teenage thugs from stealing a quad bike  Should violent offenders ever be released early, even when families of victims oppose it? What's your view?He said: 'It's as if the work that the Harper family did is being forgotten. Why on earth did they think this was appropriate in the first place? 'Andy Burnham needs to pause this coming into effect and focus on [releasing] people who are not violent or sexual offenders who are not a danger to the public.' Reform UK leader Nigel Farage said the early release scheme – part of the Sentencing Act – was 'an utter insult to the victims and any decent people that may be endangered by criminals walking their streets'. Aileen O'Connor, chairman of Thames Valley Police Federation, representing colleagues from PC Harper's constabulary, said: 'Police across Thames Valley – and indeed the country – will be disgusted at the prospect of these smirking lowlifes being free to roam the streets. What message does this send about the worth of a life of a police officer?' And Thames Valley Police Chief Constable Jason Hogg said the prospect of early release 'feels wrong'. He has written to the Prime Minister 'to make my opinion on this clear'. Claire Waxman, the Victims' Commissioner for England and Wales, said: 'As things stand, I do not have confidence that these releases can be managed in a way that fully safeguards victims, protects the public and maintains confidence in the justice system.' Bowers and Cole are among around 6,000 criminals set to benefit from Labour's Sentencing Act, which will allow violent and sexual offenders to be released after serving just half their sentence, rather than the current two-thirds. It means the duo could be released within the year. Other offenders could be freed after serving just a third of their sentence if they demonstrate good behaviour while in jail. Murderers will not be considered. Mr Burnham said: 'I've spoken to the new Justice Secretary [Alex Norris]. We will review the policy together and make further statements in due course.'