Widow of Thames Valley Police officer renews call for life sentence for killing an emergency worker
It comes a year after Lissie Harper launched a campaign to change the law
Last updated 31st Aug 2021
A police officer's widow is again calling on politicians to make killing an emergency worker punishable with a mandatory life sentence.
Lissie Harper launched her campaign exactly a year ago - following her late husband PC Andrew Harper's death in Berkshire on 15 August 2019, four weeks after their wedding.
On that night, the 28 year old officer became caught in a strap attached to the back of a car and dragged to his death down a winding country road, as three teenagers fled the scene of a quad bike theft.
All three were cleared of murder by the jury, which deliberated for more than 12 hours.
The trio received jail terms ranging from 16 to 13 years for their roles in his manslaughter.
Last year, PC Harper's widow launched the Harper's Law campaign, describing the perpetrators punishment as "inadequate."
She marked the one year anniversary of the campaign today by saying: "It has been a long process – and one that still continues - to make this change and one in which I hope will soon become a reality, a law in which should already be in place.
"A reminder that Harper's Law will mean that a person found guilty of killing a police officer, firefighter, nurse, doctor, paramedic or prison officer, as a direct result of a crime they have committed, would be jailed for life.
"This means that a life sentence would be imposed, asking for a minimum term in prison.
"Harper’s Law would provide a strong deterrent and an appropriate punishment for such a heinous crime."
She said currently a petition calling for the change now has more than 750,000 signatures.
And she said the campaign would continue to put "pressure on politicians" and "continue to implore the Home Office to get this done now!"