Parole hope for ‘psycho’ sex beast

NOTORIOUS . . . Andrew Longmire

One of the country’s most notorious rapists, accused of using his “psychopathic charm” to try and weedle his way out of prison, has been given a fresh shot at parole by a High Court judge.

Andrew Longmire says he “simply forgot” raping a Sheffield woman in her own home and in front of her young daughter — just one of his string of horrific crimes committed in the 1980s.

Longmire, from Oldham, who has been a high-security prisoner for more than 20 years, claims that was why he only pleaded guilty to the attack last year and insists he is now a changed man.

Admitted
Yesterday, Mr Justice Nichol threw him a lifeline when he quashed the Justice Department’s refusal to grant him an oral hearing of his bid to reduce his “Category A” security status — an essential step towards release on parole.

The judge said Longmire hadn’t been given a fair chance to fight claims that he only admitted the Sheffield attack when faced with damning DNA evidence and had used his “psychopathic charm” to dupe professionals into accepting he poses a low risk to the public.

Longmire, now 55, went on two separate campaigns of rape across five counties between 1981 and 1988. Most of his victims were attacked in their homes, sometimes in the presence of their children. Two of the attacks took place in the street.

He threatened two of his victims with a knife and was jailed for life in October, 1988, after admitting 11 rapes, three attempted rapes, other serious sexual offences and using firearms to resist arrest. In May, last year, Longmire admitted the attack on the Sheffield woman — a crime he committed in September, 1981 — and was hit with yet another life sentence.

Longmire’s 20-year minimum term expired in 2008, but he remains a Category A prisoner, despite four recommendations from the prison authorities that he be down-graded.

Medical experts reported he had made “considerable progress” and had admitted the Sheffield attack “to prevent any further distress to the victim and her family”.

However, the Director of High Security took a very different view, saying there was “no convincing evidence” that the public danger Longmire posed had been reduced.

Overturning the refusal to down-grade Longmire’s security rating, the judge concluded: “This was a case where fairness did oblige the Director to hold an oral hearing.

Since the Director took his decision without such a hearing, it must be quashed.”