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| New Year Honours 2023: PC's widow Lissie Harper made MBE | New Year Honours 2023: PC's widow Lissie Harper made MBE |
| (8 months later) | |
| Childhood sweethearts Andrew and Lissie Harper had only been married for a matter of weeks when he was killed | Childhood sweethearts Andrew and Lissie Harper had only been married for a matter of weeks when he was killed |
| Childhood sweethearts Andrew and Lissie Harper had only been married for a matter of weeks when he was killed | |
| The widow of PC Andrew Harper has been made an MBE for her efforts to get tougher sentences for those who kill emergency workers on duty. | The widow of PC Andrew Harper has been made an MBE for her efforts to get tougher sentences for those who kill emergency workers on duty. |
| Lissie Harper began a campaign after her husband, who she had married four weeks earlier, was killed on duty in Berkshire in August 2019. | Lissie Harper began a campaign after her husband, who she had married four weeks earlier, was killed on duty in Berkshire in August 2019. |
| Three people were convicted of manslaughter but cleared of murder. | Three people were convicted of manslaughter but cleared of murder. |
| Harper's Law imposes mandatory life sentences on those who unlawfully kill an emergency worker on duty. | Harper's Law imposes mandatory life sentences on those who unlawfully kill an emergency worker on duty. |
| Jessie Cole (l) and Albert Bowers (r) were convicted along with Henry Long (centre) and jailed in July 2020 | Jessie Cole (l) and Albert Bowers (r) were convicted along with Henry Long (centre) and jailed in July 2020 |
| Jessie Cole (l) and Albert Bowers (r) were convicted along with Henry Long (centre) and jailed in July 2020 | |
| After the Old Bailey trial, Mrs Harper, from Wallingford in Oxfordshire, wrote an open letter seeking a retrial for murder but all three verdicts and sentences were subsequently upheld by the Court of Appeal. | After the Old Bailey trial, Mrs Harper, from Wallingford in Oxfordshire, wrote an open letter seeking a retrial for murder but all three verdicts and sentences were subsequently upheld by the Court of Appeal. |
| At the time she voiced her disappointment and said the sentences "do not reflect the severity and barbarity of the crimes they committed". | At the time she voiced her disappointment and said the sentences "do not reflect the severity and barbarity of the crimes they committed". |
| "I continue to feel let down by our justice system and the inadequate laws that we have in place," she added. | "I continue to feel let down by our justice system and the inadequate laws that we have in place," she added. |
| With the support of the Police Federation, she launched an extensive campaign and had high-level meetings with her husband's colleagues and the Lord Chancellor. | With the support of the Police Federation, she launched an extensive campaign and had high-level meetings with her husband's colleagues and the Lord Chancellor. |
| It was announced jointly with the then Home Secretary Priti Patel in 2021 that Harper's Law would be brought forward as an amendment to the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill. | It was announced jointly with the then Home Secretary Priti Patel in 2021 that Harper's Law would be brought forward as an amendment to the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill. |
| It was passed and the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 gained Royal Assent on 28 April 2022. | It was passed and the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 gained Royal Assent on 28 April 2022. |
| Mrs Harper met with the then Home Secretary Priti Patel and told her the "justice system is broken" | Mrs Harper met with the then Home Secretary Priti Patel and told her the "justice system is broken" |
| Mrs Harper met with the then Home Secretary Priti Patel and told her the "justice system is broken" | |
| In a statement, the government said: "Her personal campaigning in the midst of her grief brought this about and will benefit other families in the future." | In a statement, the government said: "Her personal campaigning in the midst of her grief brought this about and will benefit other families in the future." |
| Speaking after the law was passed, Mrs Harper said she was ready to "find happiness" in what she hoped would be her last press interview. | Speaking after the law was passed, Mrs Harper said she was ready to "find happiness" in what she hoped would be her last press interview. |
| "I know for a fact that Andrew would want me to be happy," she said at the time. | "I know for a fact that Andrew would want me to be happy," she said at the time. |
| 'Hell of a journey' | 'Hell of a journey' |
| Mrs Harper said she was "very honoured" to be included in the New Year's Honours list. | Mrs Harper said she was "very honoured" to be included in the New Year's Honours list. |
| She said: "It's been a hell of a journey and Harper's Law is a huge achievement in honour of my amazing Andrew. | She said: "It's been a hell of a journey and Harper's Law is a huge achievement in honour of my amazing Andrew. |
| "I never set out on this campaign with the intention of receiving any recognition, but it really does mean a lot to me and I know that Andrew would be very proud." | "I never set out on this campaign with the intention of receiving any recognition, but it really does mean a lot to me and I know that Andrew would be very proud." |
| She thanked her "incredibly supportive" family and friends and paid special thanks to Andrew Fiddler for helping to achieve Harper's Law. | She thanked her "incredibly supportive" family and friends and paid special thanks to Andrew Fiddler for helping to achieve Harper's Law. |
| She added: "Those of you who understand the grief of losing a life partner know that we will never move on but can only aim to move forward in life and turn our heartbreak into something to be proud of and I hope I have at least done that." | She added: "Those of you who understand the grief of losing a life partner know that we will never move on but can only aim to move forward in life and turn our heartbreak into something to be proud of and I hope I have at least done that." |
| PC Harper was four hours over shift when he and a colleague responded to reports of a quad bike theft | PC Harper was four hours over shift when he and a colleague responded to reports of a quad bike theft |
| PC Harper was four hours over shift when he and a colleague responded to reports of a quad bike theft | |
| Elsewhere in Oxfordshire and Berkshire, 62-year-old Jane Watson is made an MBE for services to sport in recognition of her work leading Bisham Abbey National Sports Centre. | Elsewhere in Oxfordshire and Berkshire, 62-year-old Jane Watson is made an MBE for services to sport in recognition of her work leading Bisham Abbey National Sports Centre. |
| Under her leadership, the centre has become the flagship site for the English Institute of Sport where almost 1,000 athletes have been treated and rehabilitated. | Under her leadership, the centre has become the flagship site for the English Institute of Sport where almost 1,000 athletes have been treated and rehabilitated. |
| Ms Watson, a former cross country skier who competed in the Calgary 1988 Winter Olympics, also co-ordinates sports, science and medical sciences provision for Olympic and Paralympic athletes, the Army and the Royal Ballet. | Ms Watson, a former cross country skier who competed in the Calgary 1988 Winter Olympics, also co-ordinates sports, science and medical sciences provision for Olympic and Paralympic athletes, the Army and the Royal Ballet. |
| Kim James, head of school improvement at Oxfordshire County Council, has been appointed MBE after being credited with helping to minimise school closures during the Covid lockdowns. | Kim James, head of school improvement at Oxfordshire County Council, has been appointed MBE after being credited with helping to minimise school closures during the Covid lockdowns. |
| She has also been praised for her work to set up a dedicated helpline that provided support to all of the county's schools and academies during the pandemic. | She has also been praised for her work to set up a dedicated helpline that provided support to all of the county's schools and academies during the pandemic. |
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| Related Topics | Related Topics |
| Berkshire | Berkshire |
| Wallingford | Wallingford |
| Home Office | Home Office |
| Thames Valley Police | Thames Valley Police |
| Old Bailey | Old Bailey |
| PC Andrew Harper death retrial | PC Andrew Harper death retrial |
| Sulhampstead Abbots | Sulhampstead Abbots |