NARPO reaction to the release of police killer Harry Roberts

The President of NARPO Ian Potter has described the release of the notorious police killer Harry Roberts, who was jailed for life for murdering three unarmed officers in Shepherd's Bush, West London, in 1966 as ‘a disgrace and an insult to the families of the victims and yet another demonstration of how this Government have scant regard for policing in this country.’

Roberts was released from Prison on Tuesday despite opposition from various police bodies including the Police Federation.

Ian Potter said ‘ A large number of our members will have been serving at the time of this heinous crime, which at the time sent shock waves through the Police Service owing to the nature of this callous and cold blooded murder of three unarmed Police Officers carrying out the job they loved. This man should never have been considered for release and should have remained incarcerated for the rest of his life for committing this cowardly act, which was an offence against both the victims and the nation as a whole. We wholeheartedly agree with the comments made by the Police Federation amongst others and our thoughts are with the victims’ families and our NARPO colleagues who served with the victims at the time of their deaths. I now call upon this Government to urgently introduce legislation that ensures life means an ‘entire life sentence’ for the killers of police officers.’

The Chief Executive and Deputy Chief Executive are available for comment at: 01924 362166 or Chief Executive on: 07850054323 and deputy Chief executive on: 07853843032