Serial rapist from Bolton set for release from prison

A serial rapist is set to be released from prison despite an appeal from the justice secretary.

Andrew Barlow, 66, who lived in both Bolton and Oldham, became Britain’s most wanted man after a string of sex attacks on women and girls between 1981-1988. Barlow was jailed for life in 1988 with a minimum term of 20 years, for 11 rapes, three attempted rapes and a range of other offences.

But now he is set to walk free next month after a decision made by the Parole Board, after it rejected an application from Dominic Raab to cancel the scheduled release of the repeat offender. However, the decision may be challenged through an appeal to the High Court.

A spokesperson for the board said: “We can confirm that a panel of the Parole Board has directed the release of Andrew Barlow following an oral hearing. Parole Board decisions are solely focused on what risk a prisoner could represent to the public if released and whether that risk is manageable in the community.”

Barlow targeted teenaged girls and young mothers mainly in the Manchester area, where he lived during the decade. He broke into victims’ homes, used weapons to threaten them – and in one case to cause injury – before assaulting them often while their children were in the same house.

The sex offender was dubbed the ‘Coronation Street Rapist’ after attacking several women in terraced houses reminiscent of the ITV soap’s setting. Barlow, also known as Andrew Longmire, was convicted and jailed in October 1988 when he was aged 32.

After serving more than 34 years in jail, the Parole Board determined on December 12th 2022 that he could be released. Mr Raab applied to the board for reconsideration on January 17th, arguing that the panel had ‘failed to take proper account of the evidence regarding risk and in particular the expert psychology evidence’.

The Parole Board heard how Barlow’s behaviour had been ‘good for many years’ while in prison and he had worked on educational and vocational qualifications – he had also taken part in ‘accredited programmes’ to address sex offending.

It concluded that a plan that put strict limitations on his contacts, movements and activities would be ‘robust’ enough to manage Barlow in the community. The board rejected Mr Raab’s application, saying that ‘there has been no misdirection of law’ and that it had considered ‘all the evidence’.

The board said: “The whole panel would be aware of the correct test and the panel was chaired by a very experienced retired Judge who also has considerable experience of parole hearings and applying the statutory test.” 

Barlow’s attacks included the rape of a 26-year-old woman in her Sheffield home, while her three-year-old daughter hid terrified behind a settee. He threatened the woman with a screwdriver before carrying out the attack.

In 2021, following the rearrest of double murderer Colin Pitchfork, the Justice Secretary said he wanted to see a more cautious approach to future parole decisions. Pitchfork, who raped and killed two teenage girls in the 1980s, was recalled to prison in November 2021 – two months after being released.