Jessie Cole,a 24-year-old convicted of the manslaughter of PC Andrew Harper, is currently held at HMP Whitemoor under high-security classification.. Despite being eligible for early release, prison officials have flagged him as a violent risk to staff and a "climber."

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The "climber" designation and Category A status at HMP Whitemoor

Prison officials at HMP Whitemoor in Cambridgeshire have identified Jessie Cole as a significant danger to the facility's personnel. According to the report, Cole is currently classified as a Category A prisoner, the highest security tier, due to his volatile behavior and the risk he poses to the public and staff.

The report further notes that Cole has been labeled a "climber" by prison bosses. This designation stems from his history at the Feltham Young Offender Institution, where he allegedly climbed onto second-floor units and over railings to protest missing gym sessions or other grievances. Cole, who is a trained boxer, is described by a source as a "difficult and dangerous prisoner" who has caused fear among both inmates and staff.

A million-signature petition led by Aileen O'Connor

Public outcry regarding the potential release of Cole and his co-defendant, Albert Bowers, has reached a massive scale. A petition organized by Aileen O'Connor, the Chair of the Thames Valley Police Federation, has surpassed one million signatures.

The petition aims to prevent the pair from being released early under the government's plan to alleviate prison overcrowding. As reported by the Daily Mail, the movement has placed significant political pressure on the administration to ensure that those responsible for the death of a police officer remain behind bars.

The 2019 Berkshire tragedy and the 13-year sentences

The legal case against Cole and Bowers originates from a fatal incident in August 2019 near Stanford Dingley, Berkshire. During a pursuit of a stolen SEAT Toledo, PC Andrew Harper, 28, was tragically killed when his foot became caught in a vehicle's tow rope.

The incident resulted in the officer being dragged for over a mile, leading to his death. While driver Henry Long received a 16-year sentence, Cole and Bowers were convicted of manslaughter and handed 13-year sentences in 2020 . The prospect of them being freed in January, after serving only half of their sentences, has sparked widespread fury.

The uncertainty surrounding the October early release scheme

The upcoming implementation of the early release scheme in October has left the victim's family and the police community in a state of high anxiety. Debbie Adlam, the mother of PC Harper, expressed her profound distress regarding the potential for the killers to be freed, stating she would be "absolutely furious" if the government went back on its pledge.

While Whitehall insiders have suggested that leadership is increasingly confident that Cole and Bowers will be excluded from the scheme, several specific questions remain unanswered:

  • Will Cole's Category A status and "violent" designation be sufficient to trigger an automatic exclusion from the October release window?
  • How will the government balance the mandate to reduce overcrowding with the intense public demand for justice?
  • Will the specific behavioral alerts on Cole's prison record be enough to override standard eligibility for early release?