Andrew Barlow: 'Britain's most wanted man' who raped 13 women included attack in Sheffield back on streets

Andrew Barlow, who has also used the surname Longmire, was handed multiple life sentences in 1988 after he was convicted of 11 rapes, three attempted rapes and indecent assault.

While he was behind bars in 2010, he was further linked to even more offences, including the unsolved rape of a woman in Sheffield 1981. In the terrifying attack, Barlow entered the victim’s home when he knew her husband was at work, before threatening her with a foot-long screwdriver, forcing her to undress, putting a cushion over her head and raping her. Her young child was hiding behind the couch at the time, and the woman later told a court she was terrified she was going to be killed.

Judge Alan Goldsack QC, told him when sentencing for the attack, that it was a ‘dreadful offence’. He said: “You raped a young woman in her own home and in the presence of her little child.”

He added: “You are a dangerous man.”

However, he was only given a minimum term of two years on top of his existing life sentences.

Barlow was dubbed ‘the Coronation Street rapist’ for attacking the majority of his victims in their own terraced houses in the north of England and the Greater Manchester area. Two of the attacks took place in the street. He surveilled his victims’ homes for days to learn their domestic routines and when they would be home alone, and targeted young women and teenage girls.

Now, the Manchester Evening News has reported Barlow has spent time outside of prison ahead of his potential release by the parole board next month. The newspaper claims the board has confirmed his imminent release, and that Barlow has already been given a taste of freedom after 34 years in custody to assess his risk of reoffending.

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. His release conditions will include GPS trail monitoring, drug testing, signing-in appointments, a curfew, as well as reporting for supervision and disclosing any developing relationships.

A Parole Board Decision Summary says: “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 concluded [Barlow’s release plan] was robust enough to manage Mr Barlow in the community at this stage.”

The report added Barlow’s conduct in prison had been “good” for many years. He has completed programmes to address sex offending and undertaken treatment at the Fens Dangerous and Severe Personality Disorder Unit at Whitemoor Prison.