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Yorkshire Ripper

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Anonymous

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I have recently finished three books by David Peace (I think they're called 1972, 1977 and 1980 - I could be wrong though I'm useless with dates !) and in them he posited the theory that there were two Yokshire Rippers. I'm sure I've seen a "fact based", True Crime book that puts forward the same theory - any ideas ?
 
There is a theory that Peter Sutcliffe had an accomplice. A worker in a transport cafe in (I think) the northeast was interviewed recently on TV, and she regularly served P.S, and she said that he nearly always had another man with him. Some believe that this could be "Wearside Jack", who sent the infamous tape to George Oldfield. There is also a theory that P.S was a copycat killer, and the Police got the wrong man.

I recall walking down Briggate in Leeds around ten years ago and a somewhat irate and arrogant man was handing out leaflets he claimed revealed the true identity of the Yorkshire Ripper. stupidly, I didn't take one, and I've kicked myself ever since. All I can remember is that THIS suspect was from Manchester. I recall thinking it was all pretty libellous.

However, I came across

http://www.yorkshireripper.co.uk/

the other day, could this be the book you're after?

The first known ripper attack took place in Keighley, where I grew up, and I well remember the shadow he cast across the north. Funnily enough, I now live in the heart of Jack the Ripper's London. How nicely fortean is that?
 
Did they ever find out who 'Wearside Jack' was? I can remember hearing those tapes on the news and they sent shivers down my spine.

Carole
 
There's a very good essay on The Yorkshire Ripper from a feminist point of view in "Misogynies" by Joan Smith called 'There's Only One Yorkshire Ripper'. Don't know if that's much help but it does give a different view point. It sheds light on the assumptions that underpinned police thinking at the time and the sexism that they involved, and has a quite detailed account of the case.

Refeerence: Smith, Joan, 'There's Only One Yorkshire Ripper', "Misogynies", Faber and Faber, London, 1990
 
As far as is known, 'wearside Jack' has never been caught, despite linguists pinpointing his accent as originating in a small community (the name of which escapes me... doh!), although I seem to recall from 'somewhere' :rolleyes: the likely suspect is known to police in that area, they don't have hard enough evidence to convict.

There's a WAV file available of the 'wearside jack' recording here

http://www.execulink.com/~kbrannen/tape01.htm

I recall at the height of the Ripper's reign you could call a police number and listen to the recording. There were also huge advertising hoardings with the 'ripper' handwriting on them.:eek!!!!: It still gives me the creeps to think about them now.
 
From memory... (translation; 'This may be light on accurate detail')

Some of the forensics in YR cases didn't match Peter Sutcliffe, due to the fact they indicated that there was a 'blood type excretor' present at the specific killings, of a blood type which didn't match either the victim or PS, but DID match the producer of the 'Wearside Jack' tapes and letters. However, PS did exhibit knowledge that indicated he was at those killings.

FYI, 'blood type' excretors are a pretty rare group. They exhibited blood debris from which you could blood type them in sweat, saliva etc. All in the days before genetic fingerprinting.

8¬)
 
I remember the YR times very well, and the fact that his victims were divided into 'prostitutes' and 'innocent victims'.
There was a feeling that 'good girls' were safe and that 'bad girls' desreved what they got.
Nothing new there, then.
The real panic started when a schoolgirl was killed on her way home from a night out.

I thought the 'Wearside' tape business was actually a malicious hoax played from inside the police force.

I at the time once accepted a lift home (30 miles, I was stranded) from a man who claimed to be a detective on the case. He told me lots of interesting things and lectured me sternly on the dangers of taking lifts from strangers! I took his advice.

One of the things he said was that the police believed the YR was targetting prostitute women solely because they were easy prey, and that other women were therefore no safer. This was proved when non-prostitute women were indeed attacked. In fact, when this happened, the attacks were not at first attributed to the YR as they were the 'wrong type of victim'!

It's possible that there is an accomplice somewhere. There was a series of nasty rapes & murders in London some years ago and only one man was sentenced for them. Eventually he admitted that he did have an accomplice and that man too is in prison now. So it does happen.
 
There have been other Riupper-type murders since - notably the Rachel Nickell case. I can't remember all the details, but a year after the Nickell murder, when 'prime suspect' Stagg was being held in custody, a very similiar murder took place - a young woman and her child were murdered and mutilated in their London flat. When they caught the man responisble (he was a homeless tramp who had been befriended by the woman), the copper in charge announced that they would be checking for links to the Nickell case. But that was the one and only time this man was mentioned in connection with the Nickell murder. Soon afterwards, Stagg was charged with murdering Nickell (by purest coincidence, the copper in charge of the case took his stautory retirement from the force the very next day). The case against Stagg was thrown out by the judge (the only evidence against him was that he fitted the 'psychological profile'), the Nickell case remains unsolved.
 
Although not usual, the 'Hillside Strangler' model is pretty well known. There is a possibility that YR *had* an accomplice, who may well have been the Jackof the tapes. I have heard that there is a theory that the tapes were produced by someone who had a grudge against the senior investigating officer, and knowing professional jealousy, it is quite possible, and the forensics on the tape being deliberately made to match some SOCs.However, this doesn't explain the extraneous forensic presence of the (from memory) O-Type excretor at some of the SOCs. Again from memory of the Look North and Calendar reports (region news on BBC and ITV respectively), a lot was made of the unusual nature of the excretor. It may be worth checking to see if this info was pre or post the tapes!

8¬)
 
Another thing that's always struck me as odd about Sutcliffe is that he doesn't fit the bill from a psychological (or psychiatric) standpoint. Paranoid schizophrenics don't generally kill in this way, as I understand it they are more frenzied, taking less time over the act. I remember another theory was that he was mis diagnosed - the general public couldn't handle it if this killer was found to be sane.
 
I thought that the police had decided that the Jack heard on tape was a hoax, and that it had similarities to the 'Dear Boss' letter allegedly from Jack the Ripper.

Or am I thinking of the wrong case? It's possible.
 
I think you are right Beast. However, there were those pesky forensics linking the blood-type excretor to some of the murders... although, if it was a police hoax, maybe it was engineered by someone who knew of the odd traces!

It still highlights the appearance that Mr S wasn't the only one involved


8¬)
 
According to my true crime encyclopedia, Wearside Jack turned out to be a retired policeman who held a strong grudge against the man in charge of the Ripper investigation. I'm not sure if he was charged with a crime, but he certainly threw the police off the track long enough for several more murders to occur.
 
The identity of Wearside Jack is not yet known, so he didn't "turn out" to be anybody, although a film shown on TV a couple of years ago hinted that he might have been a policeman. I should take your True Crime encyclopedia back to the shop for a refund if I were you.
 
I think its been implied that, based on some of the supressed content of the tapes, it must have been a policeman. However, there is an equally good chance that Jack could have done some of the murders that Mr Sutcliffe took credit for...

8¬)
 
Interesting piece I found while doing searching

Yorkshire Ripper Site

Its promoting a book, so take it as you find it. I make no comment on how accurate it is, but it does have some interesting contemporary newspaper articles et al.

8¬)
 
Interesting development.

Source
Man arrested over Ripper hoax
A man has been arrested in connection with hoax letters and a tape sent to police during the Yorkshire Ripper investigation nearly 30 years ago.
Detectives from West Yorkshire travelled to Sunderland on Tuesday to arrest the 49-year-old man.

He is being held on suspicion of attempting to pervert the course of justice, a police spokesman said.

The material led police to switch their attention away from the hunt for the real killer, Peter Sutcliffe.

Wearside accent

The hoaxer, who had an accent said to be from the Castletown area of Sunderland, sent the detective leading the inquiry, George Oldfield, three letters and one tape, which was broadcast nationally in June 1979.

He called himself Jack and purported to be responsible for the Yorkshire Ripper's crimes.

During that period Sutcliffe, from Bradford, was questioned and eliminated.

One of the reasons was that he did not have a Wearside accent.

Sutcliffe was jailed for life in May 1981 after admitting the murders of 13 women and the attempted murder of seven others between 1978 and 1980.

In July, West Yorkshire Police said that the audio tape and letters from the the man who became known as "Wearside Jack" had been misplaced.

The man arrested on Tuesday has been brought to a police station in West Yorkshire for questioning.
Click to expand...
 
The hunt for Wearside Jack

So police have arrested a man in connection with the mysterious hoaxer who blighted the investigation into the yorkshire ripper.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/west_yorkshire/4354952.stm

Man quizzed over Ripper hoax case

Peter Sutcliffe killed 13 women before being caught
A man is continuing to be questioned in connection with hoax letters and a tape sent to police during the hunt for the Yorkshire Ripper nearly 30 years ago.
Detectives from West Yorkshire travelled to Sunderland on Tuesday to arrest the 49-year-old man on suspicion of perverting the course of justice.

The material led police to switch their attention away from the hunt for the real killer, Peter Sutcliffe.

On the tape he said: "I'm Jack... you are having no luck catching me."

The hoaxer sent the detective leading the inquiry, George Oldfield, three letters and one audio tape, which was broadcast nationally in June 1979.

'WEARSIDE JACK' ON TAPE
I'm Jack...

I see you are still having no luck in catching me...

You are no nearer catching me now than four years ago when I started.

'Wearside Jack'


Hoax tape tricked police

In them he claimed responsibility for the Yorkshire Ripper's crimes.

He called himself Jack, and had an accent said to be from the Castletown area of Sunderland, and so became known as "Wearside Jack".

During that period Sutcliffe, from Bradford, was questioned and eliminated.

One of the reasons was that he did not have a Wearside accent.

Sutcliffe was jailed for life in May 1981 after admitting the murders of 13 women and the attempted murder of seven others between 1978 and 1980.

Det Supt Dick Holland, a senior officer in the original investigation, said he could not say whether the Ripper's last victims would still be alive if police had not taken the letters and tape so seriously.
Click to expand...
 
The bloke on the tapes didn't sound 22/23 years old.
 
Ripper hoax police search house

Ripper hoax police search house

Peter Sutcliffe killed 13 women before being caught
Police investigating hoax letters and a tape sent to them during the Yorkshire Ripper inquiry in the late 1970s are searching a house in Sunderland.
Detectives from West Yorkshire travelled to Sunderland on Tuesday to arrest a 49-year-old man on suspicion of perverting the course of justice.

The hoax material led police to switch their attention away from the hunt for the real killer, Peter Sutcliffe.

The arrested man is being questioned at a police station in West Yorkshire.

The hoaxer sent the detective leading the inquiry, George Oldfield, three letters and one audio tape, which was broadcast nationally in June 1979.

On the tape he said: "I'm Jack... you are having no luck catching me."

'WEARSIDE JACK' ON TAPE
I'm Jack...

I see you are still having no luck in catching me...

You are no nearer catching me now than four years ago when I started.

'Wearside Jack'


Hoax tape tricked police

In them he claimed responsibility for the Yorkshire Ripper's crimes.

He called himself Jack, and had an accent said to be from the Castletown area of Sunderland, and so became known as "Wearside Jack".

During that period Sutcliffe, from Bradford, was questioned and eliminated.

One of the reasons was that he did not have a Wearside accent.

Sutcliffe was jailed for life in May 1981 after admitting the murders of 13 women and the attempted murder of seven others between 1975 and 1980.


Forensic experts are at the house in Sunderland

Det Supt Dick Holland, a senior officer in the original investigation, said he could not say whether the Ripper's last victims would still be alive if police had not taken the letters and tape so seriously.

"It may well be that had resources not been diverted along the lines of the letters and tape then greater resources would have led to an earlier arrest, but on the other hand it may not. No one can say that."

In July, West Yorkshire Police said that the audio tape and letters from the hoaxer had been misplaced.

The house being searched in Sunderland on Wednesday is a semi-detached council house in Flodden Road in the Ford area of the city.

Neighbours said several people lived in the house where a forensic examination is taking place.
Click to expand...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/west_yorkshire/4354952.stm


The bloke on the tapes didn't sound 22/23 years old.
Click to expand...

but then again most of the time when it has been replayed the recording's quality was rather poor, and having not been up north for ages i found the thick accent hard to understand. i think there is a possibilty that it could be of someone in their twenties, although i am sure there are some geordies about who can put this soft spoken southerner right ;)
 
but then again most of the time when it has been replayed the recording's quality was rather poor, and having not been up north for ages i found the thick accent hard to understand. i think there is a possibilty that it could be of someone in their twenties, although i am sure there are some geordies about who can put this soft spoken southerner right
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GEORDIES?!?! Pah! I think you'll find that people from Sunderland are Mackems... :furious:
 
oops! sorry, my bad. :oops: i'll get someone to slap my wrist for me!

interesting to see that UK Gold changed the schedules last night to show The Hunt for the Yorkshire Ripper.
 
'Wearside Jack' charged

Last Updated: Thursday, 20 October 2005, 10:58 GMT 11:58 UK

Man charged in Ripper hoax probe

A 49-year-old man arrested over the hoax Yorkshire Ripper letters and tapes has been charged with perverting the course of justice.
John Humble was arrested in Sunderland on Tuesday night and brought to Leeds by officers from West Yorkshire Police.

He was being quizzed in the hunt for a man who became known as Wearside Jack after fooling police into thinking the killer was from the North East.

Mr Humble will appear before Leeds magistrates on Thursday afternoon.

Forensic teams have been examining the house in Flodden Road on Sunderland's Ford estate where Mr Humble is believed to have lived with his brother.

Yorkshire Ripper Peter Sutcliffe, from Bradford, now 59, was jailed for life in 1981 for the murder of 13 women.

In the late 1970s and 1980 his murders brought terror across the north of England and there was huge pressure on the West Yorkshire Police murder team, headed by Assistant Chief Constable George Oldfield.

But the inquiry was thrown off course after the three letters and a tape were sent to the investigation team by a man who was to be nicknamed Wearside Jack due to his strong Sunderland accent.
Click to expand...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/4360026.stm
 
Man admits to being Ripper hoaxer

A 50-year-old man has admitted being the notorious Yorkshire Ripper hoaxer known as Wearside Jack.

But John Humble, a farm labourer from Flodden Road, Ford Estate, Sunderland, has denied intending to pervert the course of justice at Leeds Crown Court.

Mr Humble, who was not in court for the hearing, admitted writing letters and making a tape sent to police during the Ripper's reign of terror in the 1970s.

Reporting restrictions on the case were lifted by Judge James Stewart QC.

Mr Humble's defence counsel, David Taylor, told the court: "A defence statement has been drafted whereby the defence concedes that he wrote the letters and in fact made the tape.

"The issue now is not one of whether it actually was him, it's solely the question of intent."

Mr Taylor stressed that Mr Humble's not guilty pleas still stood.

Yorkshire Ripper Peter Sutcliffe, from Bradford, now 59, was jailed for life in 1981 for the murder of 13 women.

Story from BBC NEWS:

Published: 2006/02/23 12:35:25 GMT

© BBC MMVI
Click to expand...
 
Chris_H_Baker said:
So did wearside jack know sutcliffe in any way?
Click to expand...

I doubt it, that would be too much of a coincidence. Although he may be meeting him soon.
 
I'm sure that in an ITV documentary about the search for Wearside Jack, a woman who worked at a transport café frequented by Sutcliffe stated that he was always accompanied by another man who never spoke, until the one occasion when this man came in alone and he conversed with her in a voice apparently identical to that on the tape...
 
Right, this is a bit of a non-sequiteur from the Wearside Jack stuff, but it is on topic with the Yorkshire Ripper theme ... so I'll press on.

In the back of the rules for Call of Cthulhu rpg (5th ed.) are a whole bunch of various timelines, including one for crimes. For the year 1981, in amongst a load of other things, the single sentence (my emphasis) "Jack Sutton (the Yorkshire Ripper) sentenced to life". Now, this name means nothing to me at all, does it ringa bell with anyone else? As the source is US produced I guess it could just be a mistake, but it's a fair way to go from Peter Sutcliffe to Jack Sutton (although it could be understandable with a Jack the Ripper - Yorkshire Ripper confusion, plus the Suttcliffe - Sutton similarity). Or perhaps Chaosium know something we don't?
 
I read somewhere that Sutcliffe was actually a copy cat killer and the real Yorkshire Ripper is still at large to this day.
 
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