PC Andrew Harper's widow launches Harper's Law campaign for longer sentences
Andrew Harper’s widow Lisse also opened up for the first time about her sadness over the latest sentencing ruling.
In her first interview since the decision not to extend the sentence for her husband’s killers, she said: “I can’t help but feel like this isn’t how it should be. To take someone’s life and only spend a few years in prison is not good enough. In this case, unfortunately that’s it now. There will be no more appeals for either side, that’s making me even more determined to continue with Harper’s Law because this is something I can do. That part of the journey is over unfortunately now.”
She added Harper’s Law would mean anyone guilty of causing the death of an emergency worker whilst committing a crime would be sentenced to a life jail term.
“These people go out every day to risk their lives and are put into danger to protect the public, and why should they not deserve some kind of justice if they should unfortunately lose their lives,” she explained.
Losing her husband after four weeks of marriage, she said: “Grieving is something you can’t understand until you’ve been there. But that’s why I think I’ve poured all my energy into Harper’s Law, to do something positive and I can really see the need for this change… I’m doing this for him and all of his colleagues.”She said she remembered him every day and that she would be spending Christmas with family and in the new year throwing herself into making Harper’s Law a reality.