In 2026, the Offender Database records that Sarah Barrass, 34, and her family member Brandon Machin, 37, are serving life sentences for the murders of Barrass’s two teenage sons. On appearing at Sheffield Crown Court in September 2019, both defendants pleaded guilty to the murders of Tristen Barrass, 13, and Blake Barrass, 14. It was reported that the pair carried out the killings at a property in Shiregreen, Sheffield, on 24 May 2019, while also attempting to take the lives of Barrass’s four other children.
The investigation established the “evil” and premeditated nature of the defendants’ conduct. South Yorkshire Police reported that the victims were discovered after emergency services were called to the family home following reports of a serious incident. The prosecution reported that in addition to the two murders, both Barrass and Machin admitted to conspiracy to murder all six children in the household and three counts of attempted murder against two of the surviving children, who are aged under 13.
Judicial Findings and Investigative Detail
The court reported that the defendants had conspired to wipe out the entire family. Sheffield Crown Court heard how the plot involved a “chilling” level of coordination between Barrass and Machin. The investigation established that four of the six children targeted in the conspiracy survived the ordeal and remain under the protection of the court, meaning they cannot be identified for legal reasons.
The Sentencing Judge described the case as involving a “wickedness” that defied belief. For their actions in Shiregreen, both Barrass and Machin were warned to expect life sentences with substantial minimum terms. The judge noted that the breach of trust involved—a mother and a close relative conspiring to murder the children in their care—necessitated the highest possible level of sentencing to reflect the “vile” nature of the betrayal.
Status and Statutory Requirements
For the crimes reported in England, the status of Sarah Barrass and Brandon Machin is as follows:
- Custodial Sentence: Life imprisonment (Sentenced 12 November 2019).
- Minimum Term: 35 years each.
- Judicial Oversight: Sentenced at Sheffield Crown Court following a South Yorkshire Police investigation.
- Criminal Record: Murder (2 counts); Attempted murder (3 counts); Conspiracy to murder (1 count).
- Origin: Shiregreen, Sheffield, South Yorkshire.
Monitoring and Public Protection
Both Barrass and Machin are managed as Category A prisoners due to the extreme danger they posed to their own family. Authorities state that the calculated nature of the “vile” conspiracy and the age of the victims make them a maximum priority for the prison and probation services. Upon any eventual consideration for parole in the late 2050s, both will be subject to lifelong licensing conditions and a permanent ban on having any contact with the surviving children or any other minors.
As convicted murderers, Barrass and Machin’s details remain a permanent part of the national criminal record. Authorities state that their history of “reprehensible” predatory behavior within their own home necessitates the highest level of scrutiny. Any future psychiatric evaluations will focus on the “shameful” lack of empathy and the “vile” coordination required to plot the deaths of six blameless children in South Yorkshire.
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