Henry Long, 19, was convicted of manslaughter after PC Harper was caught in a crane strap attached to the back of the car being driven from the scene of a burglary. Long told police he “didn’t give a **** about any of this” when he was initially charged with murder. A judiciary spokesman confirmed Long’s appeal, which comes days after his co-accused, Jessie Cole and Albert Bowers, both 18, lodged applications to challenge their convictions and their 13-year prison sentences.
Attorney General Suella Braverman has also asked the Court of Appeal to consider whether all three sentences were too lenient.
PC Harper’s widow, Lissie, said this came “as no surprise to me following news that two of them are also seeking leave to appeal against their conviction. None of Andrew’s killers have shown any remorse. So this is just carrying on the way that they are and have been throughout the past year. It is upsetting – but just helps to drive my determination with my campaign calling for Harper’s Law”.
More than 500,000 people have signed an online petition supporting her campaign and she is to meet Home Secretary Priti Patel for talks.
PC Harper’s mother, Debbie Adlam, said the news was “another kick in the stomach” for her family.
She said: “My family and I totally respect anyone’s right to appeal against their sentence. We live in a fair society. However, this news, coming as it does on the very last day that he had to put in his appeal, is simply another kick in the stomach that leaves us all feeling awful.
“We will recover from this as we have to do but my thoughts today are absolutely with my heroic son who gave his life trying to protect others and those responsible for his loss will not live rent-free in my head.”
News of the appeal emerged amid fury over the killers receiving £465,000 in taxpayers’ cash.
Lawyers for Long got £169,175 in legal aid. The teams of Bowers and Cole were paid £131,696 and £164,898 respectively – a total to the taxpayer of just under £465,769.
The bill could rise further as the thugs will all need representation for their appeals. All three could be back on the streets in just eight years.
Lissie 29, added: “I am sure the public – whose support for me has been unstinting – will be as horrified as I am to know how much money is going towards paying this trio’s escalating legal costs.”
A source said of the legal aid bill: “It’s a huge sum of money. There’s no doubt the fact two of them are appealing will mean more taxpayers’ cash will be thrown at them.”
