The Thames Valley Police and Crime Commissioner has welcomed confirmation that the government will amend the Sentencing Act to exclude those convicted of unlawful killing from an early release programme, saying the change is a "welcome move" following a national campaign.
Public pressure and a high-profile case
Matthew Barber said the reversal followed "well over one million" signatures backing a campaign against the provisions of the Sentencing Act that, in his view, would have allowed some people convicted of the most serious offences to be released early. He described the development as a "welcome move" but said the outcome was nevertheless "bittersweet" given it had taken the death of a police officer to focus attention on the issue.
"The Government's change of direction on the Sentencing Act is a welcome move. Following a campaign backed by well over one million people across the country, I am pleased that changes will be made to the flawed Sentencing Act," the commissioner said.
Mr Barber said that he understood emergency legislation to amend the Act would be tabled in Parliament in the coming weeks. He also warned that important problems with the broader legislation remained, particularly in relation to domestic abuse offenders and the absence of a formal risk assessment within the early release scheme.
Who is affected and next steps
The commissioner’s statement referenced the lethal assault on PC Andrew Harper, and named two men whose earlier potential eligibility for early release would now be removed under the announced change. The statement said the Prime Minister had confirmed that people convicted of unlawful killing, including all forms of manslaughter, would be excluded from the early release scheme.
Mr Barber said he would continue to press the government and Thames Valley Police to mitigate ongoing concerns arising from the Sentencing Act.
- Public reaction: A campaign of more than one million signatures pushed the government to revise the legislation.
- Legislative action: Emergency secondary legislation is expected to be tabled in Parliament to amend the Sentencing Act.
- Ongoing concerns: The PCC highlighted issues around domestic abuse cases and lack of a formal risk assessment in the early release framework.
Named individuals and status
The commissioner’s commentary referred to the individuals connected with the killing of PC Andrew Harper and their status under the announced change.
| Name | Status noted in statement |
|---|---|
| Jessie Cole | Among those who will be excluded from early release under the change |
| Albert Bowers | Among those who will be excluded from early release under the change |
| Henry Long | Previously reported as not eligible for early release |
Those names were cited in the commissioner’s statement in the context of the government announcement. Any amendments to the Act will be subject to parliamentary scrutiny and formal passage before taking effect.
Broader implications for sentencing and prison policy
Ministers have long argued the Sentencing Act was intended to help manage prison population pressures by allowing certain categories of prisoners to be considered for earlier release. Critics have said the criteria were too broad and risked permitting serious offenders back into the community prematurely.
Mr Barber acknowledged the difficulty government faces in balancing prison capacity with public protection, but he urged that any revision must include robust safeguards, particularly risk assessment measures, to safeguard victims and the public.
He said he would keep pressing for further detail from ministers and would work with Thames Valley Police to address residual problems in the legislation.
Emergency legislation and the precise terms of any exclusions will be published when presented to Parliament.
