A serial rapist who targeted young mothers will be released from jail despite an appeal from the Justice Secretary.
The Parole Board has rejected an application from Dominic Raab, who is also the Deputy Prime Minister, to block the scheduled release of repeat offender Andrew Barlow.
Barlow, 66, from Bolton in Lancashire, 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 committed in the 1980s.
Formerly called Andrew Longmire, he was found guilty of two further rapes in 2010 and in 2017, both also committed during the 1980s.
He targeted women in their late teens and young mothers mainly in the Manchester area throughout the 1980s.
Barlow broke into the victim’s homes and threatened the with a weapon before assaulting them.
One attack included the rape of a 26-year-old woman while her three-year-old daughter hid behind the sofa.
However after serving more than 34 years, the Parole Board decided in December he was fit to be released.
Raab argued the board ‘failed to take proper account of the evidence regarding risk and in particular the expert psychology’.
This was based on slightly differing reports from two psychologists about the safety of Barlow’s release – one declared him safe, while another said he should be ‘further tested in ‘open’ (jail)’ before being confirmed for release.
The Parole Board replied, saying ‘there had been no misdirection of law’ and the panel had considered ‘all evidence’.
The Board added Barlow will have a ‘risk management plan with an extensive list of conditions’ which would be ‘sufficiently robust’.
They 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.’
A Ministry of Justice (MoJ) spokesperson said the case ’emphasises the need for reform of the parole system’ and ‘ministerial oversight of the most serious cases’.
In 2021, following the re-arrest 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.
Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at [email protected].
For more stories like this, check our news page.
