In 2026, the Offender Database recorded that Sarah Barrass and her half-brother Brandon Machin remain imprisoned for life following the 2019 murders of their sons, Tristan, 13, and Blake, 14. A report commissioned by the Sheffield Children’s Safeguarding Partnership recently concluded that, despite the “shocking and stunning” nature of the crimes, there was “no evidence” to predict the parents’ actions. The court reported that the pair murdered their children on 24 May 2019 out of fear that their incestuous relationship and the true paternity of their children were about to be exposed.
The investigation established that the defendants orchestrated a calculated plot to kill four of their children. South Yorkshire Police reported that a day prior to the murders, Barrass and Machin forced the children to ingest a cocktail of prescription medication, including ADHD tablets. The prosecution reported that when the drugs failed to kill the teenagers overnight, the parents strangled the boys and placed bin bags over their heads to ensure they were dead. During the ordeal, Barrass used social media to claim the family was suffering from a “sickness bug” as a cover for the emerging tragedy in Sheffield, South Yorkshire.
Judicial Findings and Investigative Detail
The court reported that the scene discovered by officers was “vivid and terrifying.” Sheffield Crown Court heard how Barrass was found barricaded in a room with the surviving children, attempting to lie to police about the whereabouts of the older boys. The prosecution reported that one of the surviving children alerted officers by moving his hand across his throat, a gesture that Barrass tried to silence. Evidence revealed that Barrass had previously threatened the children, stating, “I gave you life, I can take it away,” and had discussed “mass murder” in texts to friends while claiming she “loved her kids too much” to act.
The Safeguarding Review noted that professionals across multiple agencies viewed Barrass as an “overwhelmingly positive,” competent, and caring mother. For her actions in Sheffield, she and Machin were sentenced to life with a minimum term of 35 years. The report concluded that because Barrass frequently self-referred to support services and the police, she successfully masked the “sordid” reality of her domestic life, leaving practitioners with no evidence to predict the catastrophic events of May 2019.
Sentence and Statutory Requirements
For their crimes in England, Sarah Barrass and Brandon Machin were handed:
- Custodial Sentence: Life imprisonment.
- Minimum Tariff: 35 years.
- Sex Offenders Register: Notification requirements were activated for life due to the incestuous nature of the case.
- Judicial Oversight: Sentenced at Sheffield Crown Court.
- Criminal Record: Convicted of two counts of murder, conspiracy to murder, and five counts of attempted murder.
Monitoring and Public Protection
Barrass and Machin are managed under Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) by the prison estate and the National Probation Service. Due to the “depraved and premeditated” nature of the killings in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, their risk assessments are subject to the highest level of oversight by the Public Protection Unit.
As prisoners serving life sentences, they will only be eligible for parole after serving their 35-year minimum terms, which will not occur until 2054. Authorities state that the psychological impact on the surviving children—one of whom fears growing up to be a murderer—necessitates lifelong safeguarding and support. If ever released, both offenders will remain on licence for the remainder of their lives and must comply with permanent notification requirements. Any breach of these conditions or any further risk to children will result in an immediate return to prison for the rest of their lives.
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