The planned release of Greater Manchester's most notorious rapist this month has been halted. Andrew Barlow, formerly Andrew Longmire, was due to be paroled in January after a decision by the Parole Board on December 14.
But after a backlash by victims and their families, criticism by veteran MP, Graham Stringer, and intervention by the Deputy Prime Minister, Dominic Raab, has seen the release of Barlow temporarily blocked.
Barlow, 66, was given 13 life sentences after two campaigns of rape in the 1980s across Greater Manchester and other northern towns. The decision was met with disbelief by victims and their relatives, and described by Mr Stringer, MP for Blackley and Broughton as a "perversion of justice".
The Deputy Prime Minister, said earlier this month: “My thoughts remain with the victims of Andrew Barlow, whose despicable crimes blighted the lives of dozens of women. Public protection is my number one priority, which is why I’ve asked the Parole Board to reconsider their decision to release and I am overhauling the parole system to keep prisoners who pose a risk to the public off our streets.”
Now while the Parole Board carries out a paper review of their decision Barlow will remain in prison. If it concludes that a reconsideration of the decision is justified that will further delay any release.
One of those who has objected to Barlow's release is the son of his first victim, who was raped in 1981. He told the Manchester Evening News how, aged five, he was in the kitchen of his terraced home in Greater Manchester, having breakfast with his little sister, when Barlow, masked, barged into their home and attacked his mother.
In a letter to the victim's son, Chief Probation Officer, Sonia Flynn, says: "As you are aware, the Deputy Prime Minister, Dominic Raab, has reviewed the decision in the light of all the information put before the Board, and has concluded that there is an arguable case that the decision to release Barlow is irrational and procedurally unfair.
"Therefore, he directed his officials to apply to the Parole Board to have the decision reconsidered. The application, submitted on 17 January, takes into account the representations made by you and other victims in the case. I understand that the Public Protection Casework Section has written to you directly about this. Until such time as that fresh look has been completed, Mr Barlow will remain in prison. I should stress that the final decision about if Barlow can be released is for the independent Parole Board."
In the letter she adds: "I was so sorry to learn that your mother was one of Barlow’s victims. These were appalling crimes, and I cannot begin to imagine the trauma and pain your mother, and indeed all of the other victims, suffered. I am sorry as well that you were, understandably, affected so much."
A spokesperson for the Parole Board confirmed that a reconsideration application had been received from Mr Raab. They added: "To confirm, once a reconsideration application has been received then all release plans are put on hold."
"If the application is accepted the case will be sent for another parole review, which will be arranged as a priority. This new review will be made on papers or at an oral hearing.
"Depending on the facts of the case, the review will either be carried out by the Parole Board panel who made the original decision, or a new Parole Board panel will be convened. If a case is reconsidered at a new parole review, the panel may make the same decision as the original panel, or they may make a different decision."
If the application is rejected the Parole Board will give written reasons why the decision was not reconsidered.
Barlow, originally from Bolton, was given multiple life sentences in October 1988 after being convicted of 11 rapes, three attempted rapes, indecent assault, and using a firearm to resist arrest. His tariff was fixed at 20 years. In the decades that followed he was linked to more offending, as previously unsolved cases were cracked. He was given two more life sentences in 2010 and 2017 for rapes which happened in 1981 and 1982.
Between 1981 and 1988 he went on two separate campaigns of terror, raping women in five different counties. The first was between 1981 and 1984 and the second between August 1987 and his arrest in January 1988, when he opened fire with a shotgun as two police officers detained him.
He was dubbed 'The Coronation Street rapist' as most of the victims were attacked in their own terraced homes, in the north of England - the majority living in Greater Manchester. Two of the attacks took place in the street.
He would spend days carrying out reconnaissance on his victims' homes to work out domestic routines, so he knew at what time husbands and partners would leave for work so he could attack women alone. He preyed upon teenagers and young mothers.
When the Parole Board decided Barlow should be released it was his eighth application since the end of his 20-year tarriff.
A summary of the decision his behaviour while in custody has been "good" for many years. He has obtained educational and vocational qualifications. He has completed accredited programmes to address sex offending. In 2002 he commenced treatment at the Fens Dangerous and Severe Personality Disorder Unit at Whitemoor Prison. He has also spent considerable time in a regime to help people recognise and deal with their complex problems.
