Barry Peter Prudom was born on October 18, 1944, in Leeds, West Riding of Yorkshire, England. He was the illegitimate son of Kathleen Edwards, a dressmaker, and Peter Kurylo, a soldier in the British Army. Kurylo did not participate in Prudom's upbringing, and they never met. Barry lived with his mother at 39 Grosvenor Place in Leeds. He attended Blenheim Primary School and later Meanwood Secondary School. In 1949, his last name was changed to Prudom when his mother married Alex Prudom.

As a teenager, Prudom faced some legal issues. He was briefly sent to an approved school in Aycliffe Village, County Durham for housebreaking. After finishing school, he started an apprenticeship to become an electrician. In October 1965, he married Gillian Wilson when he was 21 years old. The couple had two children: a daughter born in 1966 and a son born in 1968. Tragically, Prudom's mother died in a drowning accident while on holiday in 1973.

In 1969, Prudom joined a special forces unit called B Squadron, 23 Special Air Service (V), which was part of the Army's Territorial force. This unit specialized in covert operations and reconnaissance. However, Prudom was not successful and was eventually rejected for being temperamentally unsuitable. He did participate in some training with the unit and failed a final initiative test.

Later, he became a grocer and bought a shop for his wife. By 1977, he was working in the petroleum industry in Saudi Arabia to earn more money. While in Saudi Arabia, his wife left him for another man and sent him a "Dear John" letter. This situation affected him deeply. When he returned to England, he found out that his wife had taken a significant amount from their bank account, which further upset him.

Between 1977 and 1982, Prudom dated a woman named Carol Francis. They traveled together for work on oil rigs in Canada and the United States. In January 1982, Prudom was arrested for a violent assault on a motorist with an iron bar. After this incident, he failed to attend court for his bail hearing, which led to a warrant for his arrest. By this time, Carol had also left him and moved out of their home in Leeds.

At some point, Prudom became involved with firearms. He possessed a .22 calibre Beretta Model 71 "Jaguar" pistol, which he had purchased in the United States and illegally brought back to Britain without a license.

On 17 June 1982, Barry Prudom shot and killed Police Constable David Haigh in North Yorkshire. Haigh was attempting to serve a summons to a poacher when he was ambushed. His body was found next to his patrol car with a gunshot wound to the head. A note with a vehicle registration number was found at the scene but did not initially lead to Prudom.

Two days later, on 19 June, police discovered Prudom's burnt-out car about twenty-five miles from the murder scene. On 20 June, he committed a robbery in Torksey, Lincolnshire, where he tied up 75-year-old Freda Jackson and stole a small amount of money before leaving her unharmed. The robbery connected to Prudom days later.

On 23 June, Prudom broke into the home of George and Sylvia Luckett in Nottinghamshire. He shot George Luckett, killing him, while Sylvia survived but suffered severe brain damage. Prudom then stole their car and headed to North Yorkshire.

The following day, on 24 June, Prudom was stopped by Police Constable Ken Oliver during a routine check. Prudom opened fire, injuring Oliver and wounding his police dog. Following this incident, a massive manhunt began, but Prudom evaded capture.

Investigations linked Prudom to several violent incidents, and by 28 June, he was identified as a suspect. During another confrontation that day, he killed Police Sergeant David Winter in the village of Old Malton. Prudom shot Winter three times in an exchange that followed a challenge.

As the manhunt continued into early July, experienced tracker Eddie McGee joined the search efforts. On 3 July, Prudom took the Johnson family hostage but left their home early on 4 July. Feeling confident, he tried to mislead police before hiding near a police station.

The authorities located Prudom two hours later. When they attempted to arrest him, he fired a shot, leading the police to shoot back. After the exchange, Prudom was found dead from gunshot wounds, which were later determined to be self-inflicted. An inquest concluded that he had committed suicide.

Barry Prudom was buried in an unmarked grave in Leeds. After his death, Police Constable Ken Oliver received a commendation for his bravery during the incidents.