02/05/01 - Ripper's voice to
be heard on TV
Irish Examiner
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 |
