PC Andrew Harper’s mum said she is “relieved” a law in her son’s honour has been passed that will see those who kill emergency workers jailed for life.
Debbie Adlam told the Oxford Mail she is “so glad” that other families will not have the “horrendous feelings” and “additional heartache” of letting a loved one down at the sentencing hearings.
Harper’s Law will mean criminals who kill police officers, paramedics, firefighters and other frontline workers while committing a crime will get a mandatory life sentence.
The law change marks the end of a two-year campaign fronted by Lissie Harper after her husband Andrew, an Abingdon-based police officer, was killed in the line of duty answering a late night call for burglary.
PC Harper died from his catastrophic injuries when he was caught in a lassoed in a tow strap attached to the back of a car and dragged down a winding country road for more than a mile as his killers fled the scene of a bike theft in the village of Sulhamstead, Berkshire on the night of August 15, 2019.
Henry Long, 19, was sentenced to 16 years in jail after he admitted manslaughter.
Passengers, 18-year-olds Jessie Cole and Albert Bowers, were convicted of manslaughter after a trail at the Old Bailey.
All three were cleared of murder by the jury.
Speaking to this paper, his mum Debbie said: "I am so glad and relieved this law is now being put into place in honour of Andrew, and for all Emergency Workers who have lost their lives solely due to their vital Front Line roles. Sadly it is inevitable that we will not be the last family who will face this loss in the future.
"We live with the unthinkable every day. It gives us great hope that for those families who sadly tread our path in the future will not have to experience the horrendous feelings of letting our loved one down when the court case comes to a close. Adequate options for sentencing by Judges is a vital part of the journey, I am sure we would have been saved from additional heartache had this law already been in place when Andrew lost his life.
"We thank everyone who have helped supported the law change in Andrews name for the protection of all of our family members who happen to be Emergency Workers".
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