24/02/03 - Police re-examine
ripper evidence
BBC News
Police have confirmed they are re-examining an item of
clothing belonging to the Yorkshire Ripper - 22 years
after they ordered its destruction. Peter Sutcliffe was
wearing the home-made leggings under his clothes when
he was arrested in South Yorkshire in January 1981.
West Yorkshire Police asked for the leggings to be incinerated
along with various other items after Sutcliffe was jailed
for the murder of 13 women. But Detective Constable Alan
Foster kept them at his home in Leeds in case Sutcliffe
was ever released and could be linked to more crimes.
Mr Foster, 47, who has been retired for 10 years, told
a local newspaper that his decision had been vindicated
by the emergence of DNA.
A West Yorkshire Police spokeswoman told BBC News Online:
"We have been handed an item of clothing allegedly
part of exhibits sent for destruction at the end of the
Ripper inquiry.
"We are exploring what, if any, forensic value it
may have. "The way in which the clothing has been
stored will clearly have a significant impact in determining
this." She added that the clothing was now in the
hands of forensic experts. |
