[122] Sutcliffe spent the rest of his life in custody. "I was shocked he was not handcuffed considering who he is. [3][4] After his arrest in Sheffield by South Yorkshire Police for driving with false number plates in January 1981, he was transferred to the custody of West Yorkshire Police, which questioned him about the killings. Survivors of Yorkshire Ripper Peter Sutcliffe (clockwise from top left): Marcella Claxton, Marilyn Moore, Anna Rogulskyj, Olive Smelt, Mo Lea (Image: Mirrorpix/PA) Yorkshire Ripper Peter Sutcliffe murdered at least 13 The Sun website is regulated by the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO), Our journalists strive for accuracy but on occasion we make mistakes. "[27], On the night of 15 August, Sutcliffe attacked Olive Smelt in Halifax. Sutcliffe confessed to being the perpetrator, saying that the voice of God had sent him on a mission to kill prostitutes. [100], After his conviction in 1981, South Yorkshire Police interviewed Sutcliffe on the murder of 29-year-old Doncaster prostitute Barbara Young, who had been hit over the head by a "tall, dark haired man" in an alleyway on the evening of 22 March 1977. [86] Most notably, Sutcliffe's work record also showed that he was delivering to an engineering plant 100 yards from Schlessinger's home on the day she was killed. Astrological Sign: Gemini, Death Year: 2020, Death date: November 13, 2020, Death City: Durham, Death Country: England, Article Title: Peter Sutcliffe Biography, Author: Biography.com Editors, Website Name: The Biography.com website, Url: https://www.biography.com/crime/peter-sutcliffe, Publisher: A&E; Television Networks, Last Updated: December 14, 2020, Original Published Date: December 14, 2020. Sutcliffe killed three additional victims between the hoax tape investigatory detour and his arrest. Birdsall visited Bradford police station the day after sending the letter to repeat his suspicions about Sutcliffe. So many index cards were filled in that the rooms holding these cards needed reinforced floors. McCann, from Scott Hall, Leeds, was a mother of four children between the ages of 2 and 7. [74][75] Wilkinson's murder had initially been considered as a possible "Ripper" killing, but this was quickly ruled out as she was not a prostitute. I hasten to add that I feel sure that the senior police officers in the areas concerned are also mindful of this possibility but, in order to ensure full account is taken of all the information available, I have arranged for an effective liaison to take place.[69]. [107] He began his sentence at HM Prison Parkhurst on 22 May 1981. [75] Pearson's murder was re-classified as a Ripper killing in 1979, while Wilkinson's murder was not reviewed. The police found that the alibi given for Sutcliffe's whereabouts, that he had attended a family party, was credible. "The women I killed were filth", he told police. An independent report into the death of serial killer Peter Sutcliffe has concluded he caught Covid-19 in hospital rather than in prison. [104] The Home Office responded by stating that it would send any new evidence to the police. Peter Sutcliffe, who later used the name Peter Coonan, was jailed for a whole life term in 1981 after murdering 13 women and attempting to murder seven more. A witness said at the time:Sutcliffe looked really calm and quite happy. Self: Martin Kemp's Murder Files. [92][102] Links were also made between Sutcliffe and the murder of 38-year-old Mary Gregson in Shipley in August 1977, but Sutcliffe was ruled out after a DNA profile of the killer was extracted in 1999, and another man was convicted of the killing in 2000. Following his conviction and incarceration, Sutcliffe chose to use the name Coonan, his mother's maiden name. [64], After Sutcliffe's death in November 2020, West Yorkshire Police issued an apology for the "language, tone, and terminology" used by the force at the time of the original investigation, nine months after one of the victims' sons wrote on behalf of several of the victims' families.[65]. 1". While at Parkhurst he was seriously assaulted by James Costello, a 35-year-old career criminal with several convictions for violence. [80] He was familiar with the council estate where she was murdered and was known to have regularly frequented the area; in February 1977, only months before the murder, he was reported to police for acting suspiciously on the street where Wilkinson lived. Tyre tracks left near the murder scene resulted in a long list of possible suspect vehicles. [22] Claxton was four months pregnant when she was attacked, and lost the baby she was carrying. THIS was the last-ever sighting of the Yorkshire Ripper as he was taken to hospital for an eye operation. British serial killer, Peter Sutcliffe, who is infamous as the 'Yorkshire Ripper' was born under fairly normal surroundings. Peter Sutcliffe dead - Yorkshire Ripper was last seen in public [52] The jury rejected the evidence of four psychiatrists who gave testimony that Sutcliffe had paranoid schizophrenia, possibly influenced by the evidence of a prison officer who heard him say to his wife that if he convinced people he was mad then he might get ten years in a "loony bin". [5] This drew condemnation from the English Collective of Prostitutes (ECP), who protested outside the Old Bailey. Peter Sutcliffe was snapped looking bloated when he was seen in public for the first time since he was jailed in 1981. [86] Although a hammer was not used, Sutcliffe also often used a knife to stab his victims. [72], We feel it is highly improbable that the crimes in respect of which Sutcliffe has been charged and convicted are the only ones attributable to him. [78], In 1982, West Yorkshire Police appointed detective Keith Hellawell to lead a secret investigation into possible additional murders committed by Sutcliffe. The sleeves had been pulled over his legs and the V-neck exposed his genital area. [29] An extensive inquiry, involving 150 officers of the West Yorkshire Police and 11,000 interviews, failed to find the culprit. [125] On 9 March 2011, the Court of Appeal rejected Sutcliffe's application for leave to appeal to the Supreme Court. [86] However, by 2002 West Yorkshire Police publicly announced they were ready to bring charges against Sutcliffe for this murder (although no further action was taken as his whole-life tariff was confirmed). The urge inside me to kill girls was now practically uncontrollable. Thankfully, there is no reason to think he committed any further murderous assaults within that period. [2]:92 In a later confession, Sutcliffe said he had realised the new 5 note he had given to Jordan was traceable. [114], On 22 December 2007, Sutcliffe was attacked by fellow inmate Patrick Sureda, who lunged at him with a metal cutlery knife while shouting, "You fucking raping, murdering bastard, I'll blind your fucking other one!" [139], A three-part series of one-hour episodes, The Yorkshire Ripper Files: A Very British Crime Story, by filmmaker Liza Williams aired on BBC Four in March 2019. I have the greatest respect for you, George, but Lord, you're no nearer catching me now than four years ago when I started."[39]. He was unemployed until October 1976, when he found a job as an HGV driver for T. & W.H. [66][34][67] Jim Hobson, a senior West Yorkshire detective, told a press conference in October 1979 the perpetrator: "has made it clear that he hates prostitutes. [108] In March 1984, Sutcliffe was sent to Broadmoor Hospital, under Section 47 of the Mental Health Act 1983.[109]. These victims survived, though with lasting trauma and severe injuries. [105] The Home Office confirmed that it was, indicating that Sutcliffe can be ruled out of unsolved murder cases in which there is existing DNA evidence such as in the Mayo, Stratford and Weedon cases. Sutcliffe took the life of 40-year-old Vera Millward, who was also a sex worker, in May. [2]:112 Sutcliffe said of Rytka while in police custody in 1981: "I had the urge to kill any woman. [94][95][92] The murder of Hila McAuley could also be definitively proven not to have been committed by Sutcliffe it has occurred on the same night he killed Jean Jordan in Manchester. [19], Sutcliffe is also known to have attacked eleven other women:[20] a woman of unknown name (Bradford 1969), Anna Rogulskyj (Keighley 1975), Olive Smelt (Halifax 1975), Tracy Browne (Silsden 1975), Marcella Claxton (Leeds 1976), Maureen Long (Bradford 1977) Marilyn Moore (Leeds 1977), Ann Rooney (Leeds 1979)[21] Upadhya Bandara (Leeds 1980), Mo Lea (Leeds 1980) and Theresa Sykes (Huddersfield 1980). [43] On 25 November 1980, Trevor Birdsall, an associate of Sutcliffe and the unwitting getaway driver in his first documented assault in 1969, reported him to the police as a suspect. And how did he die? [90] Witnesses saw a man running from the scene wearing a Donovan hat, one of which Sutcliffe was known to have owned, but police never interviewed him at the time. The 74-year-old had tested positive for COVID-19 and was suffering from underlying health conditions. [140] On 31 July 2020, the series won the BAFTA prize for Specialist Factual TV programming. [45], Sutcliffe was charged on 5 January 1981. [69], Birdsall's letter was marked "Priority No. At the time of this attack, Claxton had been four months pregnant and subsequently miscarried her baby. [2]:63, After leaving Baird Television, Sutcliffe worked nightshifts at the Britannia Works of Anderton International from April 1973. [101][92], For many years Sutcliffe was linked in the press to the murder of 42-year-old Marion Spence in Leeds on 10 June 1979, but a man had in fact been convicted of her murder in January 1980. Sutcliffe's first and last murders also occurred in Leeds. [86] The killing took place only two days before Sutcliffe's known killing of Patricia Atkinson in Bradford. [110] On 23 February 1996, he was attacked in his room in Broadmoor's Henley Ward. He was sentenced to twenty concurrent sentences of life imprisonment, which were co Despite forensic evidence, police efforts were diverted for several months following receipt of the taped message purporting to be from the murderer taunting Assistant Chief Constable George Oldfield of the West Yorkshire Police, who was leading the investigation. Dad who got trapped inside indoor adventure centre cave dies from his injuries, Britain's Got Talent audience member shares secret of Noodle the cat's audition, Fire rips through seaside town after gas explosion destroying chip shop, Brit MasterChef Australia host dies aged 46 as Gordon Ramsay leads tributes, News Group Newspapers Limited in England No. What is needed is an officer of sound professional competence who will inspire confidence and loyalty". As [96][97], Other links made by police between unsolved attacks and Sutcliffe would also be subsequently disproven. [65], The Inspector of Constabulary Lawrence Byford's 1981 report of an official inquiry into the Ripper case[69] was not released by the Home Office until 1 June 2006. ", Sutcliffe's trial began on May 4, 1981. Sutcliffe, who murdered at least 13 women and attempted to murder at least seven more, died in hospital from coronavirus on November 13, 2020. But "for some inexplicable reason", said the Byford Report, the papers remained in a filing tray in the incident room until Sutcliffe's arrest on 2 January 1981, the following year.[69]. [13] The resulting photofit bore a strong resemblance to Sutcliffe, as had those from other survivors, and Moore provided a good description of Sutcliffe's car, which had been seen in red light areas. He was declared mentally able to leave the secure hospital and be sent to a maximum-security prison in 2016. WebFind many great new & used options and get the best deals for Complete Airbrush Manual by Owen, P. at the best online prices at eBay! The group and other feminists had criticised the police for victim-blaming, especially for the suggestion that women should remain indoors at night. [127] In August 2016, a medical tribunal ruled that he no longer required clinical treatment for his mental condition, and could be returned to prison. According to his statement, Sutcliffe said, "I got out of the car, went across the road and hit her. West Yorkshire Police faced heavy and sustained criticism for their failure to catch him despite having interviewed him nine times in the course of their five-year investigation. Sutcliffe was reported to have been transferred from Broadmoor to HM Prison Frankland in August 2016. He attacked Anna Rogulskyj, who was walking alone, striking her unconscious with a hammer and slashing her stomach with a knife. Peter Sutcliffe was snapped looking bloated when he was seen in public for the first time since he was jailed in 1981. He had experienced a number of health issues in recent years and was [b] The investigation used the hoax tape as a point of elimination rather than a line of enquiry and allowed Sutcliffe to avoid scrutiny, as he did not fit the profile of the sender of the tape or letters. [58] He found wanting Oldfield's focus on the hoax tape[59]:8687[60] and his ignoring advice from survivors of Sutcliffe's attacks and several eminent specialists, including from the FBI in the United States, along with dialect analysts[61] such as Stanley Ellis and Jack Windsor Lewis,[59]:88 that "Wearside Jack" was a hoaxer. [86] Detectives were able to eliminate Sutcliffe from forty of these cases with reference to his lorry driver's logs, leaving twenty-two unsolved crimes with hallmarks of a Ripper attack which were investigated further. This attitude was also on display during Sutcliffe's trial, when a prosecutor said of the victims, "Some were prostitutes, but perhaps the saddest part of the case is that some were not. The fronts of the elbows were padded to protect his knees as, presumably, he knelt over his victims' corpses. [5] The report led to changes to investigative procedures that were adopted across UK police forces. [119][120] Mr Justice Mitting stated: This was a campaign of murder which terrorised the population of a large part of Yorkshire for several years. The pictures were taken while Sutcliffe was still a patient at Broadmoor Hospital. In one encounter, no one spotted that he was wearing a pair of boots that matched a print left at the scene of one of his crimes. [34]:188, Justice Boreham stated that Sutcliffe was beyond redemption, and hoped he would never leave prison. The Mystery Novelist Who Committed a Real Murder, Boston Marathon Bombings Survivors, 10 Years Later, A Complete Timeline of Adnan Syeds Trial, Release. I sometimes wish I had died in the attack. He added that he was with Sutcliffe when he got out of a car to pursue a woman with whom he had had an argument at a bar in Halifax on 16 August 1975 the date and place of the Olive Smelt attack. While it should have been the effective nerve centre of the whole police operation, the backlog of unprocessed information resulted in the failure to connect vital pieces of related information. [23], Sutcliffe's first documented assault was of a female prostitute, whom he had met while searching for another woman who had tricked him out of money. [13] Because of this occupation, he developed a macabre sense of humour. One of his brothers admitted that their father was an abusive alcoholic, stating that he once smashed a beer glass over Sutcliffe's head for sitting in his chair at the Christmas table, after arguing, when the brother was four or five years old. The last six attacks were on totally respectable women." In October 2020, it was announced that ITV was to produce a new six-part drama series about the Ripper. [57], The choice of Oldfield to lead the inquiry was criticised by Byford: "The temptation to appoint a 'senior man' on age or service grounds should be resisted. On 1 October 1977, Sutcliffe murdered Jean Jordan, a prostitute from Manchester. Sutcliffe was accompanied by four members of the hospital staff. [91] Sinclair is also the prime suspect in the murders of Kenny, McAuley and Cooney, but detectives felt they did not have enough evidence to charge him before his death in prison in 2019. In 2001, Angus Sinclair was convicted of the murder of Mary Gallagher on DNA evidence, and he was also convicted of the World's End murders in 2014 in a highly publicised trial. The serial killer, who was not handcuffed, looked carefree as he shared a joke with security guards. All Rights Reserved. The judge sentenced him to 20 life terms and recommended a minimum sentence of 30 years. He lost the sight in his left eye after he was stabbed in the face with a pen by fellow Broadmoor patient Ian Kay in 1997. [37], On 14 December, Sutcliffe attacked Marilyn Moore, another prostitute from Leeds. [75] In 2015, former detective Chris Clark and investigative journalist Tim Tate published a book, Yorkshire Ripper: The Secret Murders[84] (see below), which supported the theory that Sutcliffe had murdered Wilkinson, pointing out that her body had been posed and partially stripped in a manner similar to the Ripper's modus operandi. [84] It alleged that, between 1966 and 1980, Sutcliffe was responsible for at least twenty-two more murders than he was convicted of. Sutcliffe died from diabetes-related complications in hospital, while in prison custody on 13 November 2020, at the age of 74. Walking home from a party, she accepted an offer of a lift from Sutcliffe. The notorious British serial killer, Peter Sutcliffe died from COVID-19 in prison this month. In that episode, Sutcliffe is played by Joseph Mawle. Paul Wilson, a convicted robber, asked to borrow a videotape before attempting to strangle Sutcliffe with the cable from a pair of stereo headphones. [11] In his late adolescence, Sutcliffe developed a growing obsession with voyeurism, and spent much time spying on prostitutes and the men seeking their services. [69], Amongst other things, the Byford Report asserted that there was a high likelihood of Sutcliffe having claimed more victims both during and before his known killing spree. [33] The police described her as the first "innocent" victim. Sutcliffe was arrested in 1981 and pleaded guilty to murder and attempted murder. Although Sutcliffe was interviewed about it, he was not investigated further (he was contacted and disregarded by the Ripper Squad on several further occasions). [92] Detectives had been able to compare Sutcliffe's DNA with the killer's in order to eliminate him from the inquiry. [86], Another suspected victim of Sutcliffe was Yvonne Mysliwiec, a 21-year-old student attacked by a man with a ball-peen hammer at Ilkley train station in October 1979. They were snapped as the Ripper was taken for tests as part of a series of treatments that cost the taxpayer thousands of pounds. THIS was the last-ever sighting of the Yorkshire Ripper as he was taken to hospital for an eye operation. Peter Sutcliffe was snapped looking bloated when he was seen in public for the first time since he was jailed in 1981. The serial killer, who was not handcuffed, looked carefree as he shared a joke with security guards. [27], On 5 February, Sutcliffe attacked Irene Richardson, a Chapeltown prostitute, in Roundhay Park. In 1981, Peter Sutcliffe was identified as the serial killer that the.css-47aoac{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;text-decoration-thickness:0.0625rem;text-decoration-color:inherit;text-underline-offset:0.25rem;color:#A00000;-webkit-transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;}.css-47aoac:hover{color:#595959;text-decoration-color:border-link-body-hover;} British press had dubbed the Yorkshire Ripper. His parents were John William Sutcliffe and his wife Kathleen Frances (ne Coonan), a native of Connemara. He bragged to friends about robbing bodies at the morgue. Sutcliffe grew up with five younger siblings, two brothers and three sisters, in a working-class Catholic family. ", "Son of Yorkshire Ripper victim Emily Jackson says 'thank f*** for that' after killer's death", "How Coronation Street's Les Battersby actor became a Yorkshire Ripper suspect Bruce Jones says the mix-up cost him his marriage", "Peter Sutcliffe murdered 13 women: I was nearly one of them", "Wearside Jack: I deserve to go to jail for 'evil' Ripper hoax", "Yorkshire Ripper hoaxer Wearside Jack dies", "THE ATTACKS AND MURDERS - THERESA SYKES", "DNA helps police "solve" 1975 Joan Harrison murder", "Yorkshire Ripper, Peter Sutcliffe's weight-gain strategy in latest bid for freedom", "Yorkshire Ripper: Tribunal rules Peter Sutcliffe can be sent to mainstream prison", "Six more attacks that the Ripper won't admit", "Story of Yorkshire Ripper hoaxer "Wearside Jack" to be made into movie", Judgments Brooks (FC) (Respondent) versus Commissioner of Police for the Metropolis (Appellant) and others, "Families of Yorkshire Ripper victims receive police apology for language used during investigation", Report into the Police Handling of the Yorkshire Ripper Case, "Ripper guilty of additional crimes, says secret report", "Peter Sutcliffe, the bullied mummy's boy who gave millions nightmares", "BBC - Inside Out - Yorkshire & Lincolnshire - Ripper mystery", "Yorkshire Ripper: The Secret Murders. Read our Yorkshire Ripper live blog for the latest news & updates. Peter William Sutcliffe (2June 1946 13November 2020), also known as Peter Coonan and dubbed in press reports as the Yorkshire Ripper (an allusion to Jack the Ripper) was an English serial killer who was convicted of murdering thirteen women and attempting to murder seven others between 1975 and 1980. For further details of our complaints policy and to make a complaint please click this link: thesun.co.uk/editorial-complaints/, This was the last-ever sighting of Peter Sutcliffe in 2015, The bloated killer looked a world away from the monster who terrorised the North in the 1970s, The killer was escorted to a hospital for treatment to his eye, He appeared in good spirits and joked with staff, It was the first time Sutcliffe had been seen in 34 years, The monster lost the sight in his left eye after he was stabbed in the face with a pen by fellow Broadmoor patient Ian Kay in 1997, Yorkshire Ripper Peter Sutcliffe dead at 74 Serial killer who murdered 13 women dies from Covid, Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO). [83], In 2003, Steel's conviction was quashed after it was found that his low IQ and mental capabilities made him a vulnerable interviewee, discrediting his supposed "confession" and confirming Yallop's long-standing suspicions that he had been wrongfully convicted. The Yorkshire Ripper Peter Sutcliffe has died at the age of 74. The serial killer was serving a whole life term for murdering 13 women across Yorkshire and north-west England. His first victim's son, who was five when his mother was killed in 1975, said Sutcliffe's death would bring "some kind of closure". When did he get caught? The prosecution intended to accept his plea after four psychiatrists diagnosed him with paranoid schizophrenia, but the trial judge, Justice Sir Leslie Boreham, demanded an unusually detailed explanation of the prosecution's reasoning. Sutcliffe was interviewed nine times,[56] but all information the police had about the case was stored in paper form, making cross-referencing difficult, compounded by television appeals for information which generated thousands more documents. [78], One murder that was linked to Sutcliffe in the book, that of Alison Morris in Ramsey, Essex, on 1 September 1979, took place only six and a half hours before his known killing of Barbara Leach in Bradford, over 200mi (320km) away. Sutcliffe was convicted in 1981 of murdering 13 women in Yorkshire and Manchester between 1975 and 1980. That indicates your mental state and that you are in urgent need of medical attention. WebThis 1978 file photo shows Peter William Sutcliffe, the Yorkshire Ripper. Web236 Peter Sutcliffe Photos and Premium High Res Pictures - Getty Images Images Creative Editorial Video Creative Editorial FILTERS CREATIVE EDITORIAL VIDEO All Sports Wearing red trousers, a beige coat and cap, the monster looked a world away from the smirking killer who slaughtered 13 in a murderous rampage. The pictures taken in 2015 are the last ever taken of Sutcliffe before he died from Covid this morning in hospital. To inquire about a licence to reproduce material, visit our Syndication site. The 2021 podcast Crime Analysis covers Sutcliffe's crimes, focusing on the victims, the investigation and forensics, trial, and aftermath including an interview with the son of victim Wilma McCann. [31] In dire financial straits, Jackson had been persuaded by her husband to engage in prostitution, using the van of their family roofing business. He succumbed to Covid-19 after refusing treatment. 679215 Registered office: 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF. On 16 July 2010, the High Court issued Sutcliffe with a whole life tariff, meaning he was never to be released. [2]:144 He was sentenced to twenty concurrent sentences of life imprisonment, which were converted to a whole life order in 2010. PETER Sutcliffe will go down in history as one of Britain's most twisted serial killers. MacDonald was not a prostitute and, in the public perception, her murder showed that all women were potential victims. "[38], On 4 April 1979, Sutcliffe killed Josephine Whitaker, a 19-year-old clerk whom he attacked on Savile Park Moor in Halifax as she was walking home. Straw responded that whilst the matter of Sutcliffe's release was a parole board matter, "that all the evidence that I have seen on this case, and it's a great deal, suggests to me that there are no circumstances in which this man will be released".[117]. On 23 March 2010, the Secretary of State for Justice, Jack Straw, was questioned by Julie Kirkbride, Conservative MP for Bromsgrove, in the House of Commons seeking reassurance for a constituent, a victim of Sutcliffe, that he would remain in prison. It was a beautiful sunny day and he looked like an old man strolling to his allotment or something. [86][88][87] Twelve of these occurred within West Yorkshire, while the others took place in other parts of the country.