[10], On 2 January 1981, Sutcliffe was stopped by the police with 24-year-old prostitute Olivia Reivers in the driveway of Light Trades House in Melbourne Avenue, Broomhill, Sheffield, South Yorkshire. [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. Shipley. Can women ever trust the Met Police again? [108] In March 1984, Sutcliffe was sent to Broadmoor Hospital, under Section 47 of the Mental Health Act 1983.[109]. [107] He began his sentence at HM Prison Parkhurst on 22 May 1981. For five years, investigators had pursued every lead in an effort to stop. The murder of a woman who was not a prostitute again alarmed the public and prompted an expensive publicity campaign emphasising the Wearside connection. [84] As part of the research for the book, Clark and Tate claimed to have found evidence that pointed to the wrong man having been convicted for the Sewell murder, having unearthed a pathology report which allegedly indicated that the originally convicted Stephen Downing could not have committed the crime. This serious fault in the central index system allowed Peter Sutcliffe to continually slip through the net". "[38], On 4 April 1979, Sutcliffe killed Josephine Whitaker, a 19-year-old building society clerk whom he attacked on Savile Park Moor in Halifax as she was walking home. For five years, between 1975 to 1980, the Yorkshire Ripper murders cast a dark shadow over the lives of women in the North of England. [9][pageneeded], The first victim to be killed by Sutcliffe was Wilma McCann on 30 October. Cosmopolitan, Part of the Hearst UK Fashion & Beauty Network. [52] The jury rejected the evidence of four psychiatrists 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". At Dewsbury, he was questioned in relation to the Yorkshire Ripper case as he matched many of the known physical characteristics. In February 1975, he took redundancy and used half of the 400 pay-off to train as a heavy goods vehicle (HGV) driver. Apart from a terrorist outrage, it is difficult to conceive of circumstances in which one man could account for so many victims. [2]:112 Sutcliffe said of Rytka while in police custody in 1981: "I had the urge to kill any woman. [101][92] However, several aspects of the attack did not fit Sutcliffe's MO, particularly as she hit been hit from the front and had been the victim of a robbery. 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. [34]:188, The trial judge said Sutcliffe was beyond redemption, and hoped he would never leave prison. [86] Another case was the April 1977 murder of 18-year-old Debbie Schlesinger, who was killed as she walked home one evening in Leeds after a night out. [38] Sutcliffe displayed regret only when talking of his youngest murder victim, Jayne MacDonald, and when questioned about the killing of Joan Harrison, he vehemently denied responsibility. [111] Kay admitted trying to kill Sutcliffe and was ordered to be detained in a secure mental hospital without limit of time. [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. [78] Even though his confession failed to include any details of the murder, and Ripper detective Jim Hobson testified at trial that he did not find the confession credible, Steel was narrowly convicted. Police believed this was in fact a new version of Jack the Ripper one hoaxer even claimed to be the killer, referring to himself as "Jack" in at least one recording sent to investigators during the manhunt. Walking home from a party, she accepted an offer of a lift from Sutcliffe. Peter William Sutcliffe (2 June 1946 - 13 November 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. After an attack with a pen by fellow inmate Ian Kay on 10 March 1997, Sutcliffe lost the vision in his left eye, and his right eye was severely damaged. Over three months the police interviewed 5,000 men, including Sutcliffe. Once she was dead, Sutcliffe mutilated her corpse with a knife. Police spent five years pursuing the elusive killer - but Peter Sutcliffe was actually caught on a trivial pretext. He attacked Anna Rogulskyj, who was walking alone, striking her unconscious with a hammer and slashing her stomach with a knife. [103], In 2015, authors Chris Clark and Tim Tate published a book claiming links between Sutcliffe and unsolved murders, titled Yorkshire Ripper: The Secret Murders. He left this position when he was asked to go on the road as a salesman. The police have always had a poor understanding of what drives violence against women. [86] She survived the attack with serious injuries as a man distrupted the attacker, who matched Sutcliffe's description. The search for Sutcliffe was one of the largest and most expensive manhunts in British history, and West Yorkshire Police was criticised for its failure to catch him despite having interviewed him nine times in the course of its five-year investigation. [15] Other analyses of his actions have not found evidence that he actually sought the services of prostitutes but note that he nonetheless developed an obsession with them, including "watching them soliciting on the streets of Leeds and Bradford". And how did he die? But after a pattern began to emerge with all the killings - victims were all struck over the head with a hammer before being stabbed with a knife or screwdriver - it was clear they were after one man. Sutcliffe initially attacked women and girls in residential areas, but appears to have shifted his focus to red-light districts because he was attracted by the vulnerability of prostitutes and the perceived ambivalent attitude, at the time, of police to prostitutes' safety. Hill's body was found on wasteland near the Arndale Centre. [89], One of the cases investigated was an attack on student teacher Gloria Wood in November 1974, in which Wood was attacked as she walked home one evening in Bradford by a man who had asked if she needed help carrying her bags. After hosting a family party at his new home, he returned to the wasteland behind Manchester's Southern Cemetery, where he had left the body, to retrieve the note but was unable to find it. Smelt later told Detective Superintendent Dick Holland (later the Ripper Squad's second in command) that her attacker had a Yorkshire accent but this information was ignored, as was the fact that neither she nor Rogulskij were in towns with a red light area. This Is Personal: The Hunt for the Yorkshire Ripper, a British television crime drama miniseries, first shown on ITV from 26 January to 2 February 2000, is a dramatisation of the real-life investigation into the murders, showing the effect that it had on the health and career of Assistant Chief Constable George Oldfield (Alun Armstrong). [106] One supposedly "unsolved" murder linked to Sutcliffe in The Secret Murders, that of Marion Spence in Leeds, in 1979, had in fact already been solved in January 1980 when a man was convicted of her murder. [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!" "[27], On the night of 15 August, Sutcliffe attacked Olive Smelt in Halifax. Now, Netflix is showing a documentary looking into the harrowing crimes the Yorkshire Ripper committed, in a new four part series. You have made your point. 2,164. 7.1/10. The Yorkshire Post reports a second knife had been hidden in a police station toilet before he was searched. It was decided that prosecution for these offences was "not in the public interest". [2]:71, Sutcliffe reportedly hired prostitutes as a young man, and it has been speculated that he had a bad experience during which he was conned out of money by a prostitute and her pimp. Peter Sutcliffe, during his time as a serial killer, managed to kill at least 13 women and attempted to kill seven more, making a name for himself as the Yorkshire Ripper. [92] Detectives had been able to compare Sutcliffe's DNA with the killer's in order to eliminate him from the inquiry. [84] Due to the popularity of the book it was in 2022 turned into a two-part prime-time ITV documentary series of the same name, which featured both Clark and Tate. [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. [30], Sutcliffe committed his next murder in Leeds on 20 January 1976, when he stabbed 42-year-old Emily Jackson fifty-two times. He then disarranged her clothing and slashed her lower back with a knife. [40] Humble died on 30 July 2019, aged 63.[41]. On 9 October, Jordan's body was discovered by local dairy worker and future actor Bruce Jones,[36] who had an allotment on land adjoining the site where the body was found and was searching for house bricks when he made the discovery. 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]. The urge inside me to kill girls was now practically uncontrollable. While at Parkhurst he was seriously assaulted by James Costello, a 35-year-old career criminal with several convictions for violence. The murderer continued, going untraced over the next five years despite murdering 12 more women and attempting to kill seven others. Cosmopolitan UK's current issue is out now and you can SUBSCRIBE HERE. The so-called Yorkshire Ripper is finally caught by British police, ending one of the largest manhunts in history. [8] Kathleen was a Roman Catholic and John was a member of the choir at the local Anglican church of St Wilfred's; their children were raised in their mother's Catholic faith, and Sutcliffe briefly served as an altar boy. Employing the same modus operandi, he briefly engaged Smelt with a commonplace pleasantry about the weather before striking hammer blows to her skull from behind. On 4 August 2010, a spokeswoman for the Judicial Communications Office confirmed that Sutcliffe had initiated an appeal against the decision. [91][92] These included the murders of prostitute Carol Lannen and trainee nursery nurse Elizabeth McCabe in Dundee in 1979 and 1980 respectively, which together became known as the "Templeton Woods murders" due to their bodies being found only 150 yards apart in Templeton Woods in the city. He ran off when he saw the lights of a passing car, leaving his victim requiring brain surgery. Drug kingpin Rehman was caught out after being identified as an Encrochat user who had facilitated the sale of drugs worth over 4million in an 11-week period. [14] On 5 March 1976, Sutcliffe was dismissed for the theft of used tyres. He was interviewed by police nine times, his car was spotted 60 times in red light districts where the Ripper prowled for victims. 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. Initially, Peter Sutcliffe was only stopped by police in Sheffield because they suspected his car had false number plates. [9][10], Through his childhood and his early adolescence, Sutcliffe showed no signs of abnormality. . It wasn't until January 1981, three months after his final attack on 20-year-old Jacqueline Hill in Leeds, that police caught up with Sutcliffe. [122] Sutcliffe spent the rest of his life in custody. ", "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. Sutcliffe's wife obtained a separation from him around 1989 and a divorce in July 1994. [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 wrongly convicted. [69], Amongst other things, Byford's report asserted that there was a high likelihood of Sutcliffe having claimed more victims both during and before his known killing spree. I see you are still having no luck catching me. Humble was remanded in custody and on 21 March 2006 was convicted and sentenced to eight years in prison. In December 2017 West Yorkshire Police, in response to a Freedom of Information request, neither confirmed nor denied that Operation Painthall existed. Sutcliffe spent thirty years at Broadmoor Hospital before being moved to HMP Frankland in County Durham four years ago 2016. [13] Because of this occupation, he developed a macabre sense of humour. The next day police returned to the scene of the arrest and discovered a knife, hammer, and rope he had discarded when he briefly slipped away from the police after telling them he was "bursting for a pee". Many people do. [29] After two days of intensive questioning, on the afternoon of 4 January 1981, Sutcliffe suddenly declared he was the Ripper. [105] The Mayo, Stratford and Weedon cases did not feature in the 2022 documentary version of Clark's book. Cosmopolitan participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites. His 200-strong ripper squad eventually carried out more than 130,000 interviews, visited more than 23,000 homes and checked 150,000 cars. He was interrupted and fled, leaving her for dead. [23][133][19][134] A private funeral ceremony was held, and Sutcliffe's body was cremated. [141], A play written by Olivia Hirst and David Byrne, The Incident Room, premiered at Pleasance as part of the 2019 Edinburgh Festival Fringe. [37], On 14 December, Sutcliffe attacked Marilyn Moore, another prostitute from Leeds. [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. A report compiled on the visit was lost, despite a "comprehensive search" which took place after Sutcliffe's arrest, according to the report. Following his conviction, Sutcliffe began using his mother's maiden name of Coonan. [90], Hellewell had also listed the attacks on Tracey Browne in 1975 and Ann Rooney in 1979 as possible Sutcliffe attacks, and it was to him he confessed to these crimes to in 1992, confirming police suspicions that Sutcliffe was responsible for more attacks than those he confessed to at trial. The 1982 Byford Report into the investigation concluded: "The ineffectiveness of the major incident room was a serious handicap to the Ripper investigation. Sutcliffe struck the back of her skull twice with a hammer, then inflicted "a stab wound to the throat; two stab wounds below the right breast; three stab wounds below the left breast and a series of nine stab wounds around the umbilicus". She survived and provided police with a description of her attacker. Stephen handed prison time over Georgia sex tape, Finding Michael: What happened to Michael Matthews, Alex Murdaugh has been found guilty of murder, Constance Marten charged with manslaughter, Physical 100 contestant accused of assault, Tory MP says families are 'abusing' food banks, Harry and Meghan react to eviction from Frogmore, The legal age you can get married has just changed, Charles & Camilla break major royal tradition, How the Yorkshire Ripper Peter Sutcliffe was finally caught. The investigation took a while to get off the ground because, at first, police didn't link the murders. [18] The following is a summary of Sutcliffe's confirmed crimes: Sutcliffe's thirteen known murder victims were Wilma McCann (Leeds 1975), Emily Jackson (Leeds 1976), Irene Richardson (Leeds 1977), Patricia "Tina" Atkinson (Bradford 1977), Jayne MacDonald (Leeds 1977), Jean Jordan (Manchester 1977), Yvonne Pearson (Bradford 1978), Helen Rytka (Huddersfield 1978), Vera Millward (Manchester 1978), Josephine Whitaker (Halifax 1979), Barbara Leach (Bradford 1979), Marguerite Walls (Leeds 1980) and Jacqueline Hill (Leeds 1980). [75] In 2015, former detective Chris Clark and investigative journalist Time Tate published a book, Yorkshire Ripper: The Secret Murders,[84] 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. The hoaxer case was re-opened in 2005, and DNA taken from envelopes was entered into the national database, in which it matched that of John Samuel Humble, an unemployed alcoholic and long-time resident of the Ford Estate in Sunderland a few miles from Castletown whose DNA had been taken following a drunk and disorderly offence in 2001.