The Yorkshire Ripper has launched a fresh bid for freedom after a High Court judge ruled that he should die behind bars.
Mr Justice Mitting likened the Ripper to a terrorist, saying the 'brutality and gravity' of his crimes meant he should never be freed.
But now the serial killer has launched an appeal against his whole life tariff at a cost of £200,000 to the taxpayer in legal aid.
The Yorkshire Ripper, whose name is Peter Sutcliffe although he now uses his mother's maiden name by calling himself Peter Coonan, was convicted in 1981 of murdering 13 women and attacking seven others throughout Yorkshire and Greater Manchester,
Between 1975 and 1980, the Yorkshire Ripper, now aged 64, spread terror amongst women when he went on his murderous spree in the great northern cities of Leeds, Bradford, Huddersfield, Halifax and Manchester, leaving women throughout northern England terrified to go out alone, particularly at night. His youngest victim was Jayne MacDonald, who was just 16 years old when she was murdered by Sutcliffe at an adventure playground in Leeds on 26th June 1977.
In 1981, the lorry driver was convicted of the murders of 13 women and the attempted murders of 7 more and was given twenty life sentences.
At the time, the judge recommended that he serve a minimum of 30 years, but no tariff was ever set, allowing him to launch his bid for freedom earlier this year.
But Mr Justice Mitting ruled on July 16 that he should serve a whole life tariff by saying that, amongst British serial killers, only Rosemary West and Dennis Nilsen approached the number of victims he claimed.
Sutcliffe is being held at the Broadmoor loony bin in Berkshire.
Yorkshire Ripper Peter Sutcliffe launches fresh bid for freedom after judge ordered he should die behind bars
By Rebecca Camber
4th August 2010
Daily Mail
Appeal: The Yorkshire Ripper received 20 life terms for the murder of 13 women and the attempted murder of seven others
The Yorkshire Ripper has launched an appeal against a High Court ruling that he should die behind bars.
Peter Sutcliffe, 64, began a fresh bid for freedom today to the outrage of the families of his victims.
A High Court judge ruled last month that the notorious serial killer should never be released.
Mr Justice Mitting likened Sutcliffe, who butchered 13 women and tried to kill seven others between 1975 and 1981, to a terrorist, saying the 'brutality and gravity' of his crimes meant he should never be freed.
But the murderer has now launched an appeal against his whole life tariff in a move set to cost taxpayers in excess of £200,000 in legal aid.
The appeal comes shortly after a mental health tribunal recommended he be moved from Broadmoor to a less secure unit after doctors reported a dramatic improvement in his mental health.
The killer, dubbed the Ripper due the horrific way he mutilated the bodies of his victims using a hammer, a sharpened screw driver and a knife, has been held at the top security psychiatric hospital since 1984 when he was transferred from prison suffering from paranoid schizophrenia.
The Ripper is being held at Broadmoor psychiatric hospital in Berkshire
But on July 7 this year a First Tier Mental Health Tribunal- an independent body which can order the discharge of a mental health patient from detention in hospital into the community- concluded that Sutcliffe 'now requires to be tested in conditions of lesser security'.'
Doctors claimed he was in 'complete remission' and treatment had 'contained' his mental illness.
If the move were to be sanctioned by Justice Secretary Kenneth Clarke, Sutcliffe would enjoy a softer regime in a less secure unit with far less constraints on his movements and he would be eligible for day release.
Now the relatives of his victims fear he may try to use the tribunal findings to argue for his release.
Richard McCann, whose mother Wilma was murdered by the Ripper in 1975, said: 'Our mothers and sisters and daughters would be turning in their graves if this man were ever to be released.'
Twelve of the 13 victims of Peter Sutcliffe, the Yorkshire Ripper. Top row (left to right) Wilma McCann, Emily Jackson, Irene Richardson and Patricia Atkinson.
Middle row (left to right) Jayne McDonald, Jean Jordan, Yvonne Pearson and Helen Rytka. Bottom row (left to right) Vera Millward, Josephine Whitaker, Barbara Leach and Jacqueline Hill
Mr McCann said he was frustrated by Sutcliffe's continuing legal battle, which has already cost taxpayers an estimated £200,000.
'For us it's been a lifetime already, this is just another part of the saga that will continue until he dies,' he said.
'I only hope that common sense will prevail and justice will be done when this appeal is turned down.
'But it may not be over even then.This could go on to the Supreme Court, it could go on for another two years.'
Now known as Peter Coonan, the former lorry driver, now 64, from Bradford, West Yorkshire, was convicted at the Old Bailey in 1981.
He received 20 life terms for the murder of 13 women and the attempted murder of seven others in Yorkshire and Greater Manchester.
The original trial judge recommended he serve a minimum of 30 years before he could be considered for parole.
But no tariff was ever set, allowing Sutcliffe to launch a bid for freedom earlier this year.
His lawyers cited a psychiatric report carried out in 2006 which concluded the killer was wrongly convicted of murder and should have been allowed to plead guilty to manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility as he was mentally ill.
Jehovah’s Witnesses who have befriended him also claimed he had shown remorse for his crimes.
But Mr Justice Mitting ruled on July 16 that he should serve a whole life tariff, saying only Rosemary West and Dennis Nilsen approached the number of victims he claimed.
He said: 'This was a campaign of murder which terrorised the population of a large part of Yorkshire for several years.
'The only explanation for it, on the jury's verdict, was anger, hatred and obsession.
'Apart from a terrorist outrage, it is difficult to conceive of circumstances in which one man could account for so many victims.
'Those circumstances alone make it appropriate to set a whole life term.'
A spokeswoman for the Judicial Communications Office confirmed yesterday that he had launched an appeal.
She said: 'I can now confirm that an application for leave to appeal the whole life order by Mr Justice Mitting has been lodged with the Court of Appeal.'
No date has yet been fixed for a hearing.
dailymail.co.uk
Mr Justice Mitting likened the Ripper to a terrorist, saying the 'brutality and gravity' of his crimes meant he should never be freed.
But now the serial killer has launched an appeal against his whole life tariff at a cost of £200,000 to the taxpayer in legal aid.
The Yorkshire Ripper, whose name is Peter Sutcliffe although he now uses his mother's maiden name by calling himself Peter Coonan, was convicted in 1981 of murdering 13 women and attacking seven others throughout Yorkshire and Greater Manchester,
Between 1975 and 1980, the Yorkshire Ripper, now aged 64, spread terror amongst women when he went on his murderous spree in the great northern cities of Leeds, Bradford, Huddersfield, Halifax and Manchester, leaving women throughout northern England terrified to go out alone, particularly at night. His youngest victim was Jayne MacDonald, who was just 16 years old when she was murdered by Sutcliffe at an adventure playground in Leeds on 26th June 1977.
In 1981, the lorry driver was convicted of the murders of 13 women and the attempted murders of 7 more and was given twenty life sentences.
At the time, the judge recommended that he serve a minimum of 30 years, but no tariff was ever set, allowing him to launch his bid for freedom earlier this year.
But Mr Justice Mitting ruled on July 16 that he should serve a whole life tariff by saying that, amongst British serial killers, only Rosemary West and Dennis Nilsen approached the number of victims he claimed.
Sutcliffe is being held at the Broadmoor loony bin in Berkshire.
Yorkshire Ripper Peter Sutcliffe launches fresh bid for freedom after judge ordered he should die behind bars
By Rebecca Camber
4th August 2010
Daily Mail
Appeal: The Yorkshire Ripper received 20 life terms for the murder of 13 women and the attempted murder of seven others
The Yorkshire Ripper has launched an appeal against a High Court ruling that he should die behind bars.
Peter Sutcliffe, 64, began a fresh bid for freedom today to the outrage of the families of his victims.
A High Court judge ruled last month that the notorious serial killer should never be released.
Mr Justice Mitting likened Sutcliffe, who butchered 13 women and tried to kill seven others between 1975 and 1981, to a terrorist, saying the 'brutality and gravity' of his crimes meant he should never be freed.
But the murderer has now launched an appeal against his whole life tariff in a move set to cost taxpayers in excess of £200,000 in legal aid.
The appeal comes shortly after a mental health tribunal recommended he be moved from Broadmoor to a less secure unit after doctors reported a dramatic improvement in his mental health.
The killer, dubbed the Ripper due the horrific way he mutilated the bodies of his victims using a hammer, a sharpened screw driver and a knife, has been held at the top security psychiatric hospital since 1984 when he was transferred from prison suffering from paranoid schizophrenia.
The Ripper is being held at Broadmoor psychiatric hospital in Berkshire
But on July 7 this year a First Tier Mental Health Tribunal- an independent body which can order the discharge of a mental health patient from detention in hospital into the community- concluded that Sutcliffe 'now requires to be tested in conditions of lesser security'.'
Doctors claimed he was in 'complete remission' and treatment had 'contained' his mental illness.
If the move were to be sanctioned by Justice Secretary Kenneth Clarke, Sutcliffe would enjoy a softer regime in a less secure unit with far less constraints on his movements and he would be eligible for day release.
Now the relatives of his victims fear he may try to use the tribunal findings to argue for his release.
Richard McCann, whose mother Wilma was murdered by the Ripper in 1975, said: 'Our mothers and sisters and daughters would be turning in their graves if this man were ever to be released.'
Twelve of the 13 victims of Peter Sutcliffe, the Yorkshire Ripper. Top row (left to right) Wilma McCann, Emily Jackson, Irene Richardson and Patricia Atkinson.
Middle row (left to right) Jayne McDonald, Jean Jordan, Yvonne Pearson and Helen Rytka. Bottom row (left to right) Vera Millward, Josephine Whitaker, Barbara Leach and Jacqueline Hill
Mr McCann said he was frustrated by Sutcliffe's continuing legal battle, which has already cost taxpayers an estimated £200,000.
'For us it's been a lifetime already, this is just another part of the saga that will continue until he dies,' he said.
'I only hope that common sense will prevail and justice will be done when this appeal is turned down.
'But it may not be over even then.This could go on to the Supreme Court, it could go on for another two years.'
Now known as Peter Coonan, the former lorry driver, now 64, from Bradford, West Yorkshire, was convicted at the Old Bailey in 1981.
He received 20 life terms for the murder of 13 women and the attempted murder of seven others in Yorkshire and Greater Manchester.
The original trial judge recommended he serve a minimum of 30 years before he could be considered for parole.
But no tariff was ever set, allowing Sutcliffe to launch a bid for freedom earlier this year.
His lawyers cited a psychiatric report carried out in 2006 which concluded the killer was wrongly convicted of murder and should have been allowed to plead guilty to manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility as he was mentally ill.
Jehovah’s Witnesses who have befriended him also claimed he had shown remorse for his crimes.
But Mr Justice Mitting ruled on July 16 that he should serve a whole life tariff, saying only Rosemary West and Dennis Nilsen approached the number of victims he claimed.
He said: 'This was a campaign of murder which terrorised the population of a large part of Yorkshire for several years.
'The only explanation for it, on the jury's verdict, was anger, hatred and obsession.
'Apart from a terrorist outrage, it is difficult to conceive of circumstances in which one man could account for so many victims.
'Those circumstances alone make it appropriate to set a whole life term.'
A spokeswoman for the Judicial Communications Office confirmed yesterday that he had launched an appeal.
She said: 'I can now confirm that an application for leave to appeal the whole life order by Mr Justice Mitting has been lodged with the Court of Appeal.'
No date has yet been fixed for a hearing.
dailymail.co.uk
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