Serial sex attacker Kirk Reid to stay behind bars

Serial sex attacker Kirk Reid will remain behind bars and his bid to be moved to open prison has been rejected after a Parole Board hearing.

The former sports coach was jailed for life in 2009 for 28 attacks on 27 women, including two rapes, committed over a 12-year period between 1995 and 2007.

Sentencing judge Shani Barnes said she was convinced Reid was also responsible for a 1984 rape which was admitted in evidence but not included as a charge against him.

The latest Parole Board review for Reid was carried out between September last year and March this year.

A summary of the decision by the Parole Board panel, published on Wednesday, said it would not be safe to release Reid or to move him to open prison.

It set out risk factors including that, at the time of his crimes, the 59-year-old had believed “he could have sex as and when he wanted”.

The decision summary said: “Mr Reid had sought control over his victims, using violence and looking to exert humiliation and gain power over them.

“He had experienced difficulties in his relationships and could feel lonely as well as vengeful.

“He had also experienced problems in managing extremes of emotion, including feelings of rejection or abandonment.

“Generally, Mr Reid had not dealt well enough with life’s problems.”

However the panel found that, while in prison, Reid had taken part in programmes designed to deal with his behaviour and had a “strong motivation to pursue an offence-free life”.

The case of Reid, who stalked women mainly around the Balham, Clapham and Tooting areas of south London, sparked outrage after it emerged that he had come to the attention of police 12 times before he was arrested and charged.

The Metropolitan Police were forced to apologise to his victims after it was disclosed he was not arrested until four years after he became a suspect.