The Justice Minister, Dominic Raab, has promised to investigate after victims of Greater Manchester's worst rapist were not told he is to be released this month. Andrew Barlow, formerly Andrew Longmire is scheduled to be paroled after 34 years behind bars.
The head of the Parole Board has already expressed his regret that some victims were not told he is to be freed. But he says the responsibility for telling them was down to the Probation Service.
As revealed in the Manchester Evening News, Barlow, originally from Bolton, has already spent time out of prison under escort as he prepares for his release. Graham Stringer, MP for Blackley and Broughton, has described the decision to release Barlow as a "perversion of justice".
Mr Stringer questioned the Secretary of State for Justice today in the House of Commons about the failure to notify some of Barlow's 13 victims.
Mr Stringer told the House: "One of the better ways of supporting rape victims is to ensure when the rapist comes up for parole that the famlies of the victims and the victims themselves are informed that parole is being considered. In the case of Andrew Barlow, the so-called Coronation Street rapist, convicted of many rapes, this hasn't happened. The Parole Board is now recommending that he is released.
"What will the Secretary of State do to ensure that the parole system in cases like this works properly and effectively?"
Mr Raab replied: "He is right to raise this case. It should happen and I will take it up and write to him afterwards. That support for the victims right through the process including to the parole of the perpetrator of serious offences is important.
"We would welcome the support of the benches opposite when we introduce our parole report so we have stronger ministerial oversight of the most dangerous offenders. We can't keep talking and not supporting, the action we are putting through this House."
The Minister was asked another question by Mark Fletcher the Conservative MP for Bolsover who said that registered sex offenders being able to change their names in prison caused immense concern for the victims and their famlies. He asked: "What steps are bing taken to ensure that in such cases offenders are not able to walk away from their crimes."
Mr Raab replied: "I can reassure him that the governors are under no obligation to acccept that request for a change of name. Public safety is the most important consideration. When a change of name is recognised probation records are updated, police are notified, and victims and others affected would be notified."
Barlow received 13 life sentences for a terrifying campaign of rape across five counties in the 1980s. Mr Stringer wrote to Martin Jones, Chief Executive of the Parole Board, after one of his constituents alerted him that his relative who was a victim of Barlow had not been informed of his release.
A victim who had not been told also contacted the MP, plus the daughter of a third victim who was also not informed. Separately the daughter of another victim alerted the MEN that her mother had not been told either.
Longmire, who has changed his surname to Barlow and is now 66, was once branded Britain's most wanted man and given multiple life sentences in October 1988 after being convicted of 11 rapes.
His tariff was fixed at 20 years. In the decades that followed, Barlow was linked to more offending, as two previously unsolved cases were cracked thanks to advances in DNA technology and he was given two further life sentences in 2010 and 2017. He was known as the Coronation Street rapist as he targeted women alone in terraced houses.
But the Parole Board has confirmed that he is due to be released this month. The daughter of one of his victims has started a petition calling for his parole to be stopped.
One of his victims has told the Manchester Evening News she believes Barlow should remain behind bars for a full life term. She was raped by him in her home in Greater Manchester in the 1980s.
In his letter to Mr Jones, Mr Stringer - MP for Blackley and Broughton - wrote: "It appears that none of these victims have been given the courtesy of being informed of Barlow’s likely release. This is unsatisfactory on many levels, both that this man remains a danger to women and that his previous victims have not been informed so that they may make representations.
"I would request that you delay any possible release of Andrew Barlow until all his victims have been informed."
In his response to Mr Stringer, Mr Jones said: "I would like to put on record that I am aware of the grave seriousness of Mr Barlow’s offences. I have the deepest sympathy for your constituent's (relative) and all his victims.
"Victims and their families provide an important contribution to the parole process ensuring the panel have a greater perspective on the true impact of the crime on those affected.
"Mr Barlow is serving a number of life sentences for serious sexual offences, and was in custody for over 34 years. Mr Barlow’s last review was referred to the Parole Board in July 2021 to consider whether it was no longer necessary for the protection of the public that he remained confined in prison.
"This was Mr Barlow’s eighth parole review since the expiry, in 2008, of the initial period set for punishment by the courts. A panel of the Parole Board considered his case at the end of November 2022 and after careful and thorough consideration of evidence provided by the Secretary of State for Justice and professionals who worked with Mr Barlow during his time in custody, directed his release.
"The decision to release Mr Barlow should have been communicated by the Victim Liaison Officer to all victims who are signed up to the Victim Contact Scheme. I am unhappy to hear that some of the victims’ were not kept informed of key updates during Mr Barlow’s recent parole review and appreciate the anxiety and frustration they would have experienced."
Victims who join the Victim Contact Scheme are assigned a Victim Liaison Officer who is responsible for keeping them up to date about key stages of the offender’s prison sentence and release, including when the offender is eligible for parole, request licence conditions, and how to make a victim impact statement to the Parole Board.
Mr Jones added: "Although the Parole Board does not have direct contact with victims, parties involved in the parole process are reminded at each stage of the parole review, to keep victims included and up to date. Regardless of the technicalities, I am still very sorry that a number of the victims were not kept well informed of the progress of this case.
"I understand how incredibly important it is for them to be kept informed of updates that impact them deeply. I will be asking HM Prison & Probation Service to look into the handling of the communications provided to the victims."
Probation Service spokesperson said: “Our thoughts are with the victims of these terrible crimes, who remain our top priority during this difficult time.
"Unfortunately, while we are in contact with some of his victims, Andrew Barlow’s crimes pre-date the creation of our Victim Contact Scheme so we are not in contact with them all. We try our best, with the police, to trace victims of historic offences so that they can receive information and support.”
Victims can be referred to the Manchester Probation Victim Contact Scheme via :gmps.gmvictims@justice.gov.uk. Victims of Barlow and their families have until January 18th to submit applications for the Parole Board's decision to release him to be reconsidered.
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