June 29th 2024.
Andrew Barlow, a notorious serial rapist known as the "Coronation Street rapist," is once again seeking his release from prison. He has been in and out of jail for most of his life, receiving a total of 13 life sentences for his horrific crimes. In March of 2023, after serving 34 years behind bars, he was released, but just six weeks later, he was sent back to prison for violating his parole conditions and displaying poor behavior.
Initially, upon his release, Barlow was taken to a probation service hostel under police escort, but it was later determined that he posed too great a risk to the public to be allowed to remain in the community. Most of his victims were attacked in their own homes in the northern part of England, particularly in Greater Manchester, earning him the moniker "Coronation Street rapist."
There are now concerns that Barlow may soon be released again, as he has appealed the decision that sent him back to prison in June of 2023. The Parole Board has confirmed that a decision on his release will be made by next week, causing outrage among his many victims and their families, who have been fighting to keep him locked up with the help of Manchester MP Graham Stringer.
One relative of a victim shared their thoughts, stating, "He is an unsafe rapist who hasn't changed in my eyes. He broke some of the 32 parole conditions he was given, and we warned the authorities, but they didn't listen. Someone needs to be held accountable for this." In January of 2023, then-Justice Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab delayed Barlow's release, stating that public protection is his top priority and that he is working to reform the parole system to keep dangerous criminals off the streets.
After Barlow's swift return to prison in April of 2023, MP Graham Stringer expressed his frustration, saying, "It's extraordinary. This is another failure of the Parole Board to use common sense and protect the public from a very dangerous man. We warned them, and now we have been proven right. This is a failure of the highest order."
The daughter of one of Barlow's victims, who was raped in her own home in Greater Manchester in the early 1980s, shared her shock at the news of Barlow's recall. She stated, "When the victim support officer told me, I had goosebumps all over my body. I was thinking, who has he attacked this time? But thankfully, he hadn't hurt anyone, and his behavior led to his immediate return to prison. I am just relieved that he was closely monitored, as his behavior could have escalated."
Barlow was initially sentenced to 11 life sentences in 1988 for raping 11 women, and he received an additional 56 years for other offenses. In 2010 and 2017, he was given two more life sentences for rapes he committed in 1981 and 1982, which were linked to him through advancements in DNA technology. However, due to his original 20-year tariff, only two years were added to his sentence in each case.
Barlow's attacks were not limited to just Greater Manchester, as he also committed crimes in Cheshire, Staffordshire, Lancashire, and South Yorkshire in the early 1980s and again from August of 1987 until his arrest in January of 1988. He is now barred from returning to Greater Manchester, and the Parole Board has stated that, if released, he will be subject to strict parole conditions, including living at a designated address, good behavior, and disclosing any new relationships.
Other conditions include drug testing, signing-in times, GPS monitoring, polygraph testing, and a specified curfew. Barlow must also adhere to limitations on contacts, activities, and residency to avoid contact with his victims. He must also address areas of risk in the community and follow restrictions related to the use of electronic devices.
After Barlow's recall to prison last year, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Justice emphasized that public protection is their top priority. They stated, "Offenders are subject to tough parole conditions, and if they violate them, we do not hesitate to return them to custody. Barlow's release will be up to the Parole Board to decide. He has not been charged with any new offenses. Our Victims and Prisoners Bill includes plans to reform the parole process, giving Ministers the power to veto the release of the most dangerous criminals, including murderers, rapists, and terrorists."
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