The Yorkshire Ripper's reign of terror

As a new television series revisits Peter Sutcliffe's heinous crimes, we remember his victims and how he brought fear to the nation

- GAIL SHORTLAND

In Yorkshire during the late 1970s, a dark shadow cast terror over an entire generation for half a decade. Many northern towns and cities became ghost towns at night because they were the hunting grounds of serial killer Peter Sutcliffe – aka the Yorkshire Ripper.

Women were frightened to go out and local men were all suspects. It was an era with no CCTV or mobile phones, so families only knew their female loved ones were safe when they walked in the door – and many never did.

The pursuit of the Yorkshire Ripper would become the biggest and most expensive police investigation in British history, but also the most criticised. Over the five-year investigation, Sutcliffe was questioned by officers nine times. His victims were also largely – but not exclusively – vulnerable sex workers, and at the time there was a culture of disinterest in the police force over the safety of prostitutes. The Yorkshire Ripper remained at large.

Sutcliffe was born in Bingley, Yorkshire and after leaving school at 15, he’d tried several jobs, including grave digging. He also developed an obsession with prostitutes.

Sutcliffe married Sonia Szurma and became a lorry driver. The job allowed him to be away from home for long periods of time without suspicion.

In 1969, Sutcliffe was spoken to by the police after he hit a prostitute over the head with a stone in a sock, while chasing a sex worker who had tricked him out of money. He was being driven by a friend, Trevor Birdsall, who unwittingly was the getaway driver. The woman didn’t press charges.