Penny Lancaster issues harrowing warning to Andy Burnham over PC Harper killers' early release

Penny Lancaster has joined the long list of dissenting voices to hit out at the government's revised early release scheme after it emerged PC Andrew Harper's killers would remain eligible.

The Loose Women star and wife of Sir Rod Stewart echoed the sentiment expressed by PC Harper's widow, who described the scheme as "an utter betrayal".

Lissie Harper, 35, reacted with fury after Andy Burnham's review of the programme excluded rapists and child sex offenders but left manslaughter convictions untouched.

The means Albert Bowers and Jessie Cole could walk free at the halfway point of their 13-year sentences.

"This is disgusting," she said. "I am beyond appalled and bristling with anger to hear that Andrew's killers are soon to be free to roam the streets."

She added: "How dare ministers say the killing of a police officer is not enough of a 'sickening crime' that deserves the stiffest of punishments."

Mrs Harper accused the government of showing victims "disrespect beyond contempt."

Thames Valley Police's Chief Constable Jason Hogg issued a scathing response, saying he was "beyond disappointed" that the government continued to permit the early release of PC Harper's killers, despite the overwhelming recent public outcry."

He pointed to a bitter irony at the heart of the decision: "If Andrew's killers were convicted today, they would receive life sentences due to the law that was created in his name. They would not be eligible for early release."

The chief constable described the move as "demoralising for all police officers and our fellow emergency service workers, not just in the Thames Valley, that puts themselves in harm's way to protect and serve their community."

He pledged that the force would "continue to lobby the Government to make the right decision," standing alongside Harper's family and the Police Federation.

Ms Lancaster, who has served as a Special Constable with the City of London Police since 2021, took to Instagram to express her dismay. "They showed no remorse for the responsibility of PC Andrew Harper's death and they will be laughing again if they are let out early," she penned.

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The Loose Women star included a picture of PC Harper's killers grinning alongside her warning.

PC Harper was 28 when he died in August 2019 after responding to reports of a quad bike theft in Berkshire.

His ankles became caught in a tow rope trailing from the suspects' vehicle, and he was dragged for more than a mile along country lanes, suffering fatal injuries.

Henry Long, then 18, was driving the car, while Bowers and Cole - both 17 at the time - were passengers.

All three were convicted of manslaughter in 2020, with Long receiving 16 years and the younger pair 13 years each. Long is not eligible for the early release programme.

PC Harper's mother, Debbie Adlam, told BBC Newsnight she was "devastated" by the revised scheme.

"It feels like we're letting Andrew down again," she said. "We've been through the justice system, we thought we'd done as best as we could. Now we're standing up to fight again."

The Police Federation's national chair, Tiff Lynch, called the decision "deeply disappointing" and "impossible to justify," warning that releasing the two men early "gravely risks undermining not only public safety but public confidence, causing real distress to bereaved families and sending entirely the wrong message about the value we place on those who protect us."

Shadow Justice Secretary Nick Timothy accused Labour of a partial climbdown, insisting: "Burnham must go further and block the early release of killers too."

Reform MP Robert Jenrick charged the Prime Minister with "ignoring the heartfelt plea of Lissie Harper," adding: "He should deport the 10,000 foreign criminals in prison and keep these killers inside."

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch dismissed the announcement as worthy of no praise, saying killers and violent offenders "will all still walk out of prison in October."

Mr Burnham's revised scheme pushes the start of early releases back from September to October, with rapists, groomers and serious child sex offenders now barred from the programme. However, those convicted of manslaughter and domestic abuse remain eligible.

In a statement released on Tuesday afternoon, he acknowledged "concerns" about the scheme.

"The truth is I wanted to go even further. I know there will be concerns about who will still be released early for other offences. I have pushed to the very limits of what is possible to do," the PM said.

"I know I can look people in the eye and say to them there is nothing more I could have asked for without risking the prison system reaching capacity and collapsing within months. Such an outcome would expose the public to enormous risk.

"Police would be unable to make arrests. Courts would be unable to send new offenders to prison. Our justice system would grind to a halt. All this is the reason why sentencing changes were rightly introduced in the first place.

"However, I am determined to do more to support victims and the public.

Britain’s prisons crisis has its roots in a failure to add sufficient new places between 2010 and 2024. Just 500 places were added and 23 prisons were closed. As a result, the system is now dangerously close to capacity and we are running the risk of new offenders not being…— Andy Burnham (@andyburnham) August 4, 2026

"So, as well as excluding those sentences for rape, serious child sex offences and other grooming offences, we will be introducing much tougher community measures.

"Nearly all offenders released will be tagged. The period of supervision will be toughened. And we will be imposing new conditions for offenders, including restriction zones agreed with victims.

"As part of the changes, we will be giving probation officers the power to ban offenders from driving, pubs and community events.

"There will also be a new package of support for victims because they must be placed at the heart of the justice system."