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Revealed: Neighbours suspected 'incest murder' half-siblings who killed two of their children were a couple 'when the kids started calling him DAD'
Published: 18:43 GMT, 13 November 2019 | Updated: 07:49 GMT, 14 November 2019
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Neighbours of the incestuous half brother and sister who murdered two of their children suspected they were a couple when the youngest kids called him 'dad', MailOnline can reveal.
Sarah Barrass and Brandon Machin had a carefully constructed back story to mask the shocking truth that they were lovers and that he had fathered her six children.
But neighbours in the road where Machin claimed to be bringing up her children as a single mother were suspicious of the amount of time her 'brother' was spending at the property.
Sarah Barrass and her half-brother Brandon Machin, who began having sex at 16, murdered two of their children and tried to kill four more over fears they would be taken into care
Barrass moved into the property in Sheffield (pictured) and pretended to residents that she was a single mother who was being helped out with childcare by her brother, Brendon. Neighbours suspected they were a couple when they heard the children call him 'dad'
In a 12 minute killing spree Barrass murdered Tristan (right) by throttling him with a dressing gown cord while Blake (left) was strangled by his father with his bare hands. Barrass then tried to drown another of her screaming children by holding them under water in the bath
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Their suspicions grew when Machin would make a show of leaving the house at night, only to sneak back in under the cover of darkness.
The evil pair were jailed for 35 years yesterday for strangling their son Tristan, 13, in front of 14-year-old Blake before killing him as social services edged toward rescuing them from their chaotic home life in Sheffield.
Barrass (pictured) moved into the property with four children but had two more fathered by her half-brother while she was living there
After the 12-minute murder spree they attempted to drown a third child in the bath and planned to kill the other three using drugs overdoses, two of whom were under three years of age, but Barrass then called the police.
The horrific case raises major questions about who knew the truth about their relationship and how they kept an illegal sexual relationship secret despite being on the radar of social services since the 1990s.
Neighbours said today that people in the street knew of the relationship taking place under the noses of Sheffield City Council, who has launched a serious case review.
One told MailOnline: 'When Sarah first moved into the house she only had the four eldest children and Brandon appeared on the scene straight away.
'She was at pains to point out to everyone that she was a single mother and had four kids to look after and introduced him to everyone as her brother.
'That was accepted at first even though it seemed strange he spent so much time at the house with her and the kids when there didn't seem to be any need for him to be there.
Neighbours at Machin's flat - a 13 minute drive across Sheffield from Barrass's semi-detached property in Sheffield say he was rarely there as he would often spend many nights away
'She had two more children and yet there was no sign of a father and no explanation for how the little ones came to be conceived. The only man who was ever seen at the house was her brother.
'My suspicions really started when I would watch him leave the house and shout goodbye, he'd see them in the morning.
'I'm a light sleeper and would notice that a while after leaving he'd come back when it was dark having walked around the block. He was sneaking back in when he thought no one would see.
'It seemed really strange and I didn't know what to think. Your mind looks for answers but they're too strange to dwell on.
'Then after the younger children were born and could talk they'd slip up and call him 'Dad.'
Blake Barrass (pictured) and his brother were found dying in their beds from a sustained attack
A family friend said today: 'Blake and Tristan were two beautiful, confident and outgoing boys who both had a bright future ahead of them'
'I heard it once when the children were leaving the house to go somewhere and I heard a little voice call 'bye Mum, bye Dad.' One of the older children shushed the young one and said not to say that.
'It confirmed to me at least that something was off, but I don't think anyone could really have imagined the situation that was going on in there.'
People in the street of three bedroom semis, close to a primary school, are reeling at the details revealed at Sheffield Crown Court on Tuesday.
Another neighbour said: 'The house is boarded up and a constant reminder about what happened to those poor children, ideally it should be pulled down, no one will ever want to live there.'
Machin's flat on the city's Burngreave Road is a 13 minute drive away from Barrass's semi.
Barrass and Machin grew up in a chaotic household where their had a number of partners, some of whom abused Barrass, the court was told.
The children were dirty, dishevelled and had skin ailments such as dermatitis from living in squalid conditions and there being not enough beds for all the family to sleep on.
Police forensic teams work at the three bed home where Barrass murdered two of her children earlier this year. She had told police that Michan had killed them, but both have been jailed
Barrass and her sister would sleep on sofas in rooms soiled by dog faeces.
A former neighbour at the house, also in Shiregreen, recalled the horrific conditions Machin and Barrass were brought up in, saying: 'There was s*** all over, literally s*** and the children would be left all day without food.'
Bryan Cox, QC, for Barrass told the court on Tuesday of the findings made by psychologists on her family life at home in the 1990s.
Martyn Barrass, the couple's younger brother, says the evil pair killed mice for fun growing up and shared a fascination with horror films
He said: 'The children were left in effect to look after themselves without adequate food, clothing, furniture or bedding whilst their mother drank excessively and had a series of partners, some of whom abused the defendant. (Barrass)'
Barrass and Machine's younger brother Martyn Barrass has claimed that he informed social services about the couple's twisted relationship as far back as 2009, but nothing was done.
The former home of the pair's mother was being gutted by workmen yesterday, with fixtures and fitting being removed to be replaced.
A neighbour said: 'She moved a few months ago, we wondered whether it was for her own safety after what happened.'
Sheffield City Council were unable to comment on the move.
The council spokeswoman said the authority was unable to comment further on how much their social services department was aware of whilst the serious case review is underway.
She said: 'A great deal of time and energy is being put into the review of this tragic case to look into whether there are any lessons that could be learnt from it. It's important to take the time to get this right and it wouldn't be appropriate comment further at this stage.'
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Neighbours suspected 'incest' half brother and sister who murdered two of their children were couple
Revealed: Neighbours suspected 'incest murder' half-siblings who killed two of their children were a couple 'when the kids started calling him DAD'
- Sarah Barrass and Brandon Machin had six children during 20 year relationship
- They were separated after he ended up in care and began having sex aged 16
- Barrass moved into her Sheffield home, telling neighbours she was a single mum
- She claimed her brother Machin was an attentive uncle helping her with the kids
- But neighbours were suspicious about the amount of time he spent at the house
- They also watched him leave the property, walk around the block and then return in darkness when he thought no one was looking
- The younger children were told to keep quiet by the older ones when they referred to Machin as their father
Published: 18:43 GMT, 13 November 2019 | Updated: 07:49 GMT, 14 November 2019
678 shares
96
View comments
Neighbours of the incestuous half brother and sister who murdered two of their children suspected they were a couple when the youngest kids called him 'dad', MailOnline can reveal.
Sarah Barrass and Brandon Machin had a carefully constructed back story to mask the shocking truth that they were lovers and that he had fathered her six children.
But neighbours in the road where Machin claimed to be bringing up her children as a single mother were suspicious of the amount of time her 'brother' was spending at the property.
Sarah Barrass and her half-brother Brandon Machin, who began having sex at 16, murdered two of their children and tried to kill four more over fears they would be taken into care
Barrass moved into the property in Sheffield (pictured) and pretended to residents that she was a single mother who was being helped out with childcare by her brother, Brendon. Neighbours suspected they were a couple when they heard the children call him 'dad'
In a 12 minute killing spree Barrass murdered Tristan (right) by throttling him with a dressing gown cord while Blake (left) was strangled by his father with his bare hands. Barrass then tried to drown another of her screaming children by holding them under water in the bath
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Their suspicions grew when Machin would make a show of leaving the house at night, only to sneak back in under the cover of darkness.
The evil pair were jailed for 35 years yesterday for strangling their son Tristan, 13, in front of 14-year-old Blake before killing him as social services edged toward rescuing them from their chaotic home life in Sheffield.
Barrass (pictured) moved into the property with four children but had two more fathered by her half-brother while she was living there
After the 12-minute murder spree they attempted to drown a third child in the bath and planned to kill the other three using drugs overdoses, two of whom were under three years of age, but Barrass then called the police.
The horrific case raises major questions about who knew the truth about their relationship and how they kept an illegal sexual relationship secret despite being on the radar of social services since the 1990s.
Neighbours said today that people in the street knew of the relationship taking place under the noses of Sheffield City Council, who has launched a serious case review.
One told MailOnline: 'When Sarah first moved into the house she only had the four eldest children and Brandon appeared on the scene straight away.
'She was at pains to point out to everyone that she was a single mother and had four kids to look after and introduced him to everyone as her brother.
'That was accepted at first even though it seemed strange he spent so much time at the house with her and the kids when there didn't seem to be any need for him to be there.
Neighbours at Machin's flat - a 13 minute drive across Sheffield from Barrass's semi-detached property in Sheffield say he was rarely there as he would often spend many nights away
'She had two more children and yet there was no sign of a father and no explanation for how the little ones came to be conceived. The only man who was ever seen at the house was her brother.
'My suspicions really started when I would watch him leave the house and shout goodbye, he'd see them in the morning.
'I'm a light sleeper and would notice that a while after leaving he'd come back when it was dark having walked around the block. He was sneaking back in when he thought no one would see.
'It seemed really strange and I didn't know what to think. Your mind looks for answers but they're too strange to dwell on.
'Then after the younger children were born and could talk they'd slip up and call him 'Dad.'
Blake Barrass (pictured) and his brother were found dying in their beds from a sustained attack
A family friend said today: 'Blake and Tristan were two beautiful, confident and outgoing boys who both had a bright future ahead of them'
'I heard it once when the children were leaving the house to go somewhere and I heard a little voice call 'bye Mum, bye Dad.' One of the older children shushed the young one and said not to say that.
'It confirmed to me at least that something was off, but I don't think anyone could really have imagined the situation that was going on in there.'
People in the street of three bedroom semis, close to a primary school, are reeling at the details revealed at Sheffield Crown Court on Tuesday.
Another neighbour said: 'The house is boarded up and a constant reminder about what happened to those poor children, ideally it should be pulled down, no one will ever want to live there.'
Machin's flat on the city's Burngreave Road is a 13 minute drive away from Barrass's semi.
Barrass and Machin grew up in a chaotic household where their had a number of partners, some of whom abused Barrass, the court was told.
The children were dirty, dishevelled and had skin ailments such as dermatitis from living in squalid conditions and there being not enough beds for all the family to sleep on.
Police forensic teams work at the three bed home where Barrass murdered two of her children earlier this year. She had told police that Michan had killed them, but both have been jailed
Barrass and her sister would sleep on sofas in rooms soiled by dog faeces.
A former neighbour at the house, also in Shiregreen, recalled the horrific conditions Machin and Barrass were brought up in, saying: 'There was s*** all over, literally s*** and the children would be left all day without food.'
Bryan Cox, QC, for Barrass told the court on Tuesday of the findings made by psychologists on her family life at home in the 1990s.
Martyn Barrass, the couple's younger brother, says the evil pair killed mice for fun growing up and shared a fascination with horror films
He said: 'The children were left in effect to look after themselves without adequate food, clothing, furniture or bedding whilst their mother drank excessively and had a series of partners, some of whom abused the defendant. (Barrass)'
Barrass and Machine's younger brother Martyn Barrass has claimed that he informed social services about the couple's twisted relationship as far back as 2009, but nothing was done.
The former home of the pair's mother was being gutted by workmen yesterday, with fixtures and fitting being removed to be replaced.
A neighbour said: 'She moved a few months ago, we wondered whether it was for her own safety after what happened.'
Sheffield City Council were unable to comment on the move.
The council spokeswoman said the authority was unable to comment further on how much their social services department was aware of whilst the serious case review is underway.
She said: 'A great deal of time and energy is being put into the review of this tragic case to look into whether there are any lessons that could be learnt from it. It's important to take the time to get this right and it wouldn't be appropriate comment further at this stage.'
Share or comment on this article:
Neighbours suspected 'incest' half brother and sister who murdered two of their children were couple
