The Story of the Yorkshire Ripper
Peter Sutcliffe, also known as ‘Yorkshire Ripper,’ spread terror throughout Britain in the 1970s.
Peter Sutcliffe, born in 1946, was the son of a working-class couple in Bingley, Yorkshire. The Yorkshire Ripper was a misfit throughout his life. He left school while still a teenager and survived on different jibs, including grave digging.
Sutcliffe was obsessed with prostitutes. He would spend much time studying how these women conducted their business. Although Peter Sutcliffe married Sonia Szurma in 1974, a local woman he met seven years before their wedding, it did not limit his obsession with prostitutes. Not long after his marriage to Sonia, the Yorkshire Ripper secured employment as a heavy goods truck driver. This job created an opportunity for him to spend hours on the road, watching prostitutes without anyone asking questions Authorities claim that the time he spent watching his victims was enough to plan his attacks. Soon after, Peter Sutcliffe was doing more than just watching.
Throughout his reign of terror, Peter Sutcliffe killed thirteen women. Although he claimed to be God’s missionary sent to punish prostitutes, he had no problem evading the police. He narrowly escaped authorities while attempting to kill about seven other women. Locals say that the reason the Yorkshire Ripper attacked prostitutes was revenge after one swindled him.
Peter Sutcliffe vs. the Police
Over 150 police officers participated in investigating the Yorkshire Ripper but never had enough to arrest him because of his alibis. Perhaps his arrest would have happened sooner if the victims’ families had hired a wrongful death lawyer. However, it took years before the authorities got hold of substantial evidence, a five-pound dollar bill in his victim’s bag and a description by Marilyn Moore, a survivor.
On January 2, 1981, the police arrested Peter Sutcliffe for operating a car with false license plates. Two days later, he confessed to being the Yorkshire Ripper, giving detailed descriptions of his murders. However, the jury did not believe Peter Sutcliffe’s ‘mission-from-God’ story.
Sutcliffe stood trial for the 13 murders he committed. Having the right wrongful death lawyer could speed up an investigation of wrongful death. Fortunately, at Robert J. DeBry and Associates, we dedicate our resources to representing victims’ families and ensuring they get the justice they require.