The daughter of a woman who was attacked by notorious serial rapist Andrew Barlow said her mum lives among various panic alarms and still has nightmares some thirty years on.
She has launched a petition to keep him behind bars, after finding out in the news that he is due to be released this month.
Despite getting 13 life sentences for his crimes, Andrew Barlow, formerly Andrew Longmire, has already spent some time out of prison, as he prepared for his official release in January 2023. He was sentenced in October 1988 after being convicted of 11 rapes, three attempted rapes, indecent assault, and using a firearm to resist arrest.
READ MORE: 'Britain's most wanted man' dubbed 'Coronation Street rapist' back on the streets
Throughout the 1980s, he raped multiple 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. 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.
The final two convictions were for offences committed in 1981 and 1982. In the first a woman was raped in front of her three-year-old child. In the second a 15-year-old girl was raped at knifepoint. They were solved thanks to advances in DNA technology and Barlow admitted them both, but said he could not remember either attack.
The daughter of one of his victims told the MEN : "My mum was in her 20s at the time, a single parent. He broke into the house. His face was covered. After that my mum never felt safe. She was terrified whenever she came across a man in the street, thinking was it him."
She added: "She had a breakdown when it was reported he was attempting to be moved [from a Category A prison]. She has had suicide attempts and periods of depression for which she needed medical help. We are concerned as a family what will happen if he is released. She may have another breakdown.
"I do not believe a person like him can change. What he did was not opportunistic, but pre-meditated and carefully planned. He has been good in prison and got himself educated. So what?
"I think it is disgusting that he is coming out. I think the Parole Board is very naïve to think he can be managed outside.
"My mum is serving a life sentence. She is still living in the house she was moved to after the attack. She never returned to the home where she was attacked. I do not believe he should be released, he remains a danger."
In her online petition, set up using a pseudonym to protect her mother's identity, the woman wrote: "My mum still has nightmares over 30 years later, has had multiple mental breakdowns, panic alarms in the house and suicide attempts. As Barlow broke into her home she has never felt any security, Is unable to feel safe in her own home.
"The fact that she was not informed of the release and found out through a Google news alert, shows how much respect the justice system has for victims.
"This isn't a man who has been committed of one rape. He stalked, targeted and broke into these women's homes. Nothing has changed he did not admit to further crimes until DNA evidence was found. A few qualifications and keeping him away from women for a few years doesn’t make him any less of a danger."
The decision to release him was made on November 30 - the eighth time his case had been reviewed by the Parole Board since the expiry of his initial 20-year tariff.
A Parole Board decision summary reads: "In 2020, a panel of the Parole Board considered his case and recommended transfer to open conditions. This recommendation was accepted by the Secretary of State and Mr Barlow was transferred to open conditions in January 2021.
"Following that move, he had successfully undertaken periods of temporary release where he was escorted by a prison officer. The panel heard how well he was progressing in open conditions. In June 2022, Mr Barlow was moved back to closed conditions. After hearing from witnesses and Mr Barlow, the panel concluded that the evidence did not support the reasons for the transfer back to closed prison.
"The panel examined the release plan provided by Mr Barlow’s probation officer and weighed its proposals against assessed risks. The plan included a requirement to reside in designated accommodation as well as strict limitations on Mr Barlow’s contacts, movements and activities. The panel concluded this plan was robust enough to manage Mr Barlow in the community at this stage."
The panel also considered evidence from a prison service psychologist. A second psychologist commissioned on behalf of Barlow recommended his release. The panel also considered a statement from a victim which conveyed the impact of Barlow’s crimes and the consequences of his offending.
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