Ripper's voice to be heard on TV
The chilling voice of one of Britain’s most notorious serial killers - the Yorkshire Ripper - is to be heard on television next week for the first time since he was jailed.
Dear Peter ... Letters To The Yorkshire Ripper, is a BBC documentary which examines the bizarre phenomenon of women who have become obsessed with murderer Peter Sutcliffe and who have struck up relationships with him while he languishes inside his prison cell.
Sutcliffe was jailed 20-years ago this month for murdering 13 women and attacking seven more.
But not all people consider him evil, with dozens of women writing to him in jail, many becoming obsessed with him.
The documentary explores the reasons for their fascination with one of the country’s worst killers and focuses on three women’s relationships with him.
Sutcliffe’s broad Yorkshire accent will be heard on a tape which was sent to one of his admirers. Many of his letters and artwork will also be included.
Artist Sandra Lester believed she had found lasting love with the Yorkshire Ripper, and held hopes of a future marriage with him.
She first contacted him at a low point in her life when she was coming to terms with the sexual abuse she suffered as a child.
An intense relationship followed through correspondence, but she was devastated when he refused to allow her to visit him and she found out that he was having similar relationships with a number of women.
Olive Curry, from Tyneside, did visit the killer at Broadmoor, however, and exchanged more than 500 letters with him.
Her obsession dominated her life for 10 years.
Diane Simpson, from Cheshire, exchanged more than 500 letters with Sutcliffe and spent more than 400 hours visiting him at Broadmoor.
The handwriting expert was involved in the original hunt for the killer, and tells the film-makers how Sutcliffe tried to manipulate her by hinting that he would confess to other crimes in order to maintain her interest.
American author Sheila Isenberg has studied the phenomenon of women who have relationships with notorious killers.
She claims that the common thread is a history of abuse and believes the relationships are like romantic novels or soap operas.
‘‘A woman is living out this passionate, fantastic existence that has no basis in reality really, because if the man were not in prison they would have no relationship.’’
Former Chief Constable of West Yorkshire Keith Hellawell, who has spent many hours visiting Sutcliffe while investigating other crimes he may have committed, said the killer enjoyed the attention of the women, describing it as ‘‘just a game’’.
The documentary is due to be screened next Wednesday at 10.35pm
