Ripper Sutcliffe’s Victims

This book examines the detail behind each of 13 murders by the Yorkshire Ripper and the resulting police investigations. There is less said about the seven attempted murders but it does highlight the possibility of several other unsolved cases including 2 male deaths that could be attributed to Sutcliffe. Michael Bilton in ‘Beyond Belief’ focuses also on the victims and their lives, rather than glossing over them to focus on the criminal Peter Sutcliffe. Much of the newspaper reporting in 1981 covered Sutcliffe’s time from being a Grave digger at Bingley in the 1960’s until his arrest in Sheffield and sentencing at the Old Bailey in May 1981

‘This book is different as it tells the story in some detail of the effects on the son of the victim, his family neighbours and friends. It really is an eye opener and reminds us all and especially those responsible for investigating crime and those responsible for the future of the villain to consider much more fully the effects the murderer has on those bereaved and their well being. Very well written and though detailed is not ” Heavy”. It is to this sons credit that he came through his trauma eventually and a credit to the author for sensitivity and thorough research.’ with thanks for Amazon review by Rev. J Cooper.

Anna Rogulsky was attacked in Keighley in July 1975 and Wilma McCann and Joan Harrison were murdered later that year. Emilly Jackson, Marcella Claxton, Jayne McDonald, Marilyn Moore, Marguerite Walls, Upadhya Bandara, Jacqueline Hill and Irene Richardson were all found dead in Leeds during the 5 years of horror perpetrated by Sutcliffe. Murders also took place in Halifax, Huddersfield, Bradford and of Vera Millward in Manchester.

On 2 January 1981 Olivia Reivers was getting into a car when the police stopped to talk to the driver. He asked to go relieve himself in some bushes where he stowed a knife and Ball Pein Hammer. Meanwhile police realised the number plates were false and took Sutcliffe, then calling himself Peter Williams, into Hammerton Road police station before transferring him to Dewsbury. Another knife was discovered in the toilets at the police station and eventually Sutcliffe confessed he was ‘The Ripper’.