Entertainment
The mistakes made in the Peter Sutcliffe search
Police took six years to capture serial killer Peter Sutcliffe, and this was later partly blamed on a catalogue of mistakes made by the force at the time.
He murdered his first known victim in 1975. But it took the West Yorkshire Police until 1981 to arrest him for the crimes. In which time, he’d killed another 12 women, and attacked at least seven more.
Peter Sutcliffe’s crimes became one of Britain’s most notorious serial killer cases. And now the case has been dramatised for the first time by ITV. The Long Shadow is currently airing on Monday nights at 9pm.
And the makers behind the seven-part documentary have attempted to highlight the many mistakes made by the police in the search for Peter Sutcliffe…
Mistakes made in the Peter Sutcliffe case: The moniker The Yorkshire Ripper
While not unusual at that time, police gave the unknown killer the nickname The Yorkshire Ripper. Like Jack the Ripper before him, police gave Peter Sutcliffe the gruesome title as they launched the investigation into the murders.
Of course, we now know the moniker is extremely offensive. Not only is it painful for the family of the victims, it also helps the glamorous the killer.
Ahead of The Long Shadow airing on ITV, the broadcaster told reviewers: “We’d like to respectfully ask you to consider not using the term The Yorkshire Ripper in your press coverage when writing about The Long Shadow.
“Although the name is well-known shorthand for Peter Sutcliffe, the victims’ family members and survivors of his hideous crimes find the term very distressing and triggering. In respect to the many, many people affected by his awful crimes, we’d ask you to call Peter Sutcliffe by his real name.”
The police force were ‘misogynistic’
West Yorkshire Police received widespread criticism for the way it handled the Peter Sutcliffe case. The Long Shadow writer George Kay explains: “And then there are the detectives. While old-fashioned, unpalatable, misogynist attitudes were ever-present and contributed to the many missteps that drove the flawed investigation, not all were the blinkered misogynists that many might believe them to be.
“Many were stubborn, well-intended men and women who gradually became hamstrung by their own investigation. Whose failures on at least two occasions drove them to an early grave.”
As we learn from the ITV series, four very different men were in charge of the investigation. Although, two million man-hours were logged in the incident room, it took six years to catch the killer.
George Kay also explains how the fact some of the victims were known sex workers also affected the case. He says: “Our exploration and research into the stories of the women who fatally crossed Peter Sutcliffe’s path emphasised the disgraceful way sex workers are still persecuted today.”
He adds: “It’s a known fact that the West Yorkshire Metropolitan Police were a force troubled with misogyny and racism. Senior officers opted to follow seemingly tangible evidence – like the hoax letters and tape – rather than listen to the first-hand testimony of women who had survived, like Marcella Claxton.”
‘Institutional prejudices and injustices failed these women’
Director Lewis Arnold elaborates: “I felt angry at all the institutional prejudices and injustices that had failed these women between 1975 and 1981. Whilst also being aware that things hadn’t dramatically changed in the 42 years since Peter Sutcliffe’s arrest.
“Gender inequality is still so visible in 2023. And it was during the time I was reading the scripts that the shocking discovery emerged that Metropolitan Police officers were sharing vile and grossly offensive messages with each other.
“I felt that George had […] given a voice to the women and families, who were so misrepresented during the initial case in 1975.”
Mistakes made in the Peter Sutcliffe case: The police let him go
Unbelievably, the police force interviewed Peter Sutcliffe nine times during the investigation. But each time then let him go. All the police had about the case was in paper form, making it hard to cross-reference.
The Ripper incident room at Millgarth police station used a card index system which was overwhelmed with information. It was not properly cross-referenced. This led to evidence against Peter Sutcliffe getting lost in the system. Crucial similarities between him and the suspect were not picked up. Such as the gap in his teeth and his size seven feet.
At his Old Bailey trial, Peter Sutcliffe himself said: “It was just a miracle they did not apprehend me earlier – they had all the facts.”
It’s true that Peter Sutcliffe slipped through the police’s net on several occasions, despite the hunt for the so-called Yorkshire Ripper being the biggest manhunt in Britain’s history.
On one occasion, police officers interviewed Peter Sutcliffe and showed him a picture of the culprit’s bootprint near a body. In a shocking failure, they failed to notice that Peter Sutcliffe was wearing the exact same pair of boots at the time.
During the police inquiry, he was interviewed nine times. However, he was only caught when police picked him up by chance with a prostitute in his car.
Mistakes made in the Peter Sutcliffe case: A catalogue of stupid mistakes
In Manchester in 1977, police found a £5 note in the pocket of 28-year-old Jean Jordan. The money directly linked to Peter Sutcliffe. But police again failed to connect the two.
The note was traced to one of six companies, including Clark Transport, which employed Peter Sutcliffe as a lorry driver. He was interviewed but his alibi – from his wife and mother – was accepted.
Police also overlooked Peter Sutcliffe’s arrest in 1969 for carrying a hammer in a red light district. They also failed to respond appropriately when his friend Trevor Birdsall pointed the finger at him in an anonymous letter.
The surviving victims were not believed
There were surviving victims whose testimonies were never believed. For example, Marcella Claxton. The police had a fixed idea of who the killer was likely to be and they were convinced he was only attacking sex workers.
Many other victims who survived attacks were students, office workers, and other young women, but the police did not use the information they could offer as they did not believe they were victims of the same attacker.
As early as 1976, Marcella Claxton was hit over the head with a hammer near her home in Leeds. However, potentially vital evidence was overlooked.
She survived the attack and was able to help police produce a photofit – which later proved to be accurate – but she was discounted as a Ripper victim because she was not a prostitute.
Police ‘hoodwinked by a hoax tape and two letters’
One of the worst mistakes in the hunt for Peter Sutcliffe came in 1979. At the time, Assistant Chief Constable George Oldfield of West Yorkshire Police was hoodwinked by a hoax tape and two letters.
The letters, sent by someone claiming to be the Ripper, were sent from Sunderland. Despite warnings of a hoax from voice experts and other detectives, Oldfield pressed on. He became convinced this was his man. And, because the voice on the tape had a North East accent, Bradford-born Sutcliffe was not in the frame.
His mistake has subsequently been described as one of the biggest in British criminal history. Thirty years later, the messages were proven to be a hoax. Sunderland alcoholic John Humble admitted perverting the course of justice and was jailed for eight years in 2006.
The Long Shadow continues on Mondays at 9pm on ITV1 and ITVX.
What do you think of The Long Shadow on ITV1? Leave us a comment on our Facebook page @EntertainmentDailyFix.
Star of Strictly Janette Manrara opened up in a new interview about her struggles after she chose to leave the show.
The Cuban-American presenter became a professional dancer on Strictly in 2013 and remained on the show until she quit the main show in 2021. She currently hosts co-hosts Strictly’s It Takes Two alongside former contestant Fleur East.
However, while she chose to leave Strictly, she admits the decision came with its challenges.
Janette Manrara was ‘not working’ after Strictly
During a new interview with the Express, Janette, who is married to fellow dancer Aljaž Škorjanec, admitted that she was “not working” during the pandemic.
“It was a scary time for all of us and especially anybody involved in the theatre and entertainment world,” she revealed, adding, “I was not working at all. Thank God for Strictly coming back that year.”
Janette stated she had “a lot of anxiety, stress and nervousness.” As a result, her friend and former Strictly contestant Ashley Roberts recommended that she take a well-being course.
After gaining her certification, Janette began to apply those sessions to her own life.
“When I was about to turn 40, writing a book started to make its way to me. And I thought, ‘Do you know what this is the book I want to write,’” she continued.
“I want to help people, I want people to understand why our mind functions the way it does, and have tools they can apply daily. Easy, simple things that they can do to lead a little bit more of a fulfilled life.”
Janette’s book, Tiny Dancer, which was released on Thursday (September 12), focuses on four topics: Acceptance, Reflection, The Work and Discovery.
‘I cannot believe the day has arrived!’
On the release of her book, Janette expressed her excitement in an Instagram post.
“I cannot believe the day has arrived! Feeling so much love and light in my heart!” she wrote in her caption.
“If you have pre-ordered the book, THANK YOU! If you have come to my book events, or will be coming to one of my book events, THANK YOU!! I am so humbled by all of you and your support.”
Read more: Janette Manrara addresses struggles with Strictly pro husband Aljaz Skorjanec: ‘It’s very difficult’
So what do you think? Tell us on our Facebook page @EntertainmentDailyFix.
Host of Strictly Claudia Winkleman has revealed the physical makeover she endures every year when the BBC show begins.
The new 2024 series of Strictly kicks off tonight (September 14) where the 15 celebrities find out who they have been paired with this year. Claudia’s co-host Tess Daly will also be returning for another slice of the action.
Strictly host Claudia Winkleman fake tans herself until Christmas
As the show celebrates its 20th anniversary, Claudia was asked about how it feels to be a part of Strictly’s special milestone.
“It feels a total honour and privilege. I love working on Strictly so much. I start getting excited in July,” she revealed.
Claudia added that as soon as September hits, she begins to undergo a physical makeover.
“The fake tanning starts in earnest on September 1st and there’s no let up until Christmas,” she admitted.
When questioned what being a part of the Strictly team meant to her, Claudia said it was like “family to me.”
She continued: “So many of the same people who work on the show have been there for years so we all know each other really well. It also means family in the sense that people watch the show with their grandparents or young kids. It’s always felt like a snow globe of a show to me and it’s basically saying “Christmas is coming” and this can only be a good thing in my world.”
Claudia used ‘gravy granules’ to tan during The Traitors
When Claudia couldn’t get her hands on some fake tan while filming BBC’s The Traitors, she found an unusual substitute.
“I didn’t have my normal fake tan there because I was in the castle, so what I thought was, ‘Let’s just use something!’,” she revealed, adding, “I don’t think I’m allowed to say a brand, but it was gravy granules.”
The TV star had already undergone a spray tan before filming the show. However, by episode five, she realised she was due a top-up.
“You’re wearing tweed, but what else do you need? Gravy granules,” she joked.
Are you excited about the new series? Leave us a comment on our Facebook page @EntertainmentDailyFix and let us know what you think of this story.
Ben Fogle is a firm favourite on the box – but he and his wife have had their fair share of tragedies over the years.
The presenter – who is fronting Scotland’s Sacred Islands with Ben Fogle today (September 15) – shot of fame in the 2000s, and has become a much-loved TV star since.
However, throughout his life, the adventurer has suffered several moments of heartbreak and tragedy. But when did Ben “nearly die?”? And what happened when he almost lost his wife?
Ben Fogle and wife Marina’s stillborn son
Ben shares a son, Ludo, and a daughter, Iona, with his wife Marina. However, in 2014, the couple tragically lost their third child, Willem, when he was stillborn at 33 weeks.
At the time, Ben was in Canada while his partner was in Austria visiting her family. Sadly, the TV star was unable to get to his wife in time.
Appearing on Loose Women in March 2021, Marina explained she was taken into hospital after falling ill. After being examined by doctors, she was told she was suffering from placental abruption.
Ben said: “It was hard. I don’t think I’ll ever forgive myself for being in Canada and being so helpless.”
Ben Fogle ‘nearly lost’ his wife
Ben has also shared how he briefly had to come to terms with the idea he was about to also lose his wife.
He revealed the same year: “The thought of life without her was unbearable. I think we all assume that everything is going to be straightforward and will just go ahead as normal, but it was a huge shock in every sense.
“And actually the bigger thing, which I haven’t really spoken about, is I very nearly lost my wife. She very nearly died.”
Things were so touch and go, said Ben, that she was just minutes away from losing her life as doctors battled to save her.
“For her to have come within 20 minutes of dying was a huge bolt for me. And was so terrifying I can’t even explain it.”
Ben Fogle had in near-death experience walking his dog
Earlier this year, Ben revealed that he “nearly died” while walking his dog, following a shock near-accident. The TV star was almost hit by a delivery van near his home in the village of Fawley outside Henley, Oxfordshire.
Ben recounted the ordeal on Instagram, admitting his “life flashed before his eyes”.
He said: “I nearly died yesterday. Not on Everest or in some remote jungle. Not on an ocean or in a desert, but on a small single-track lane outside my home in rural Oxfordshire.
“Given the things I have done and the risks I have taken, it feels a little ironic that my own near-death experience should happen so close to home. Let me explain…”
He then explained how a delivery driver “careered around a blind bend, threw on its brakes and skidded to a halt just a few feet from me and my dog”.
Ben then issued a plea for the council to reduce the 60mph speed limit to 20mph.
Ben Fogle’s wife Marina quizzed by social services
In August this year, the wife of Ben Fogle, Marina, revealed she was quizzed by social services over claims she shouted “unacceptable verbal abuse” at her two young children.
The mum of two spoke out about the incident, which took place in 2013, days after Kirstie Allsopp suffered a similar fate after letting her 15-year-old son go InterRailing on his own.
Writing in her newspaper column, Marina explained she was left feeling sick and furious by the allegations. They were made in a letter when her son Ludo and daughter Iona were three and four years old. They are both now teenagers.
The claims came as the family returned from a holiday. But before Marina could call social services herself to make it clear a mistake had been made on the part of whoever made the allegations, she received two guests.
Marina added: “My children spent 20 minutes showing off their Lego and toys.
“After which I was told that clearly there wasn’t an issue. And she hoped that I understood why they’d needed to investigate. Of course, I understand. Many tip-offs such as these are genuine and result in the removal of children who need to be safeguarded from their families. But sometimes they get it wrong.”
Scotland’s Sacred Islands with Ben Fogle airs on Sunday (September 15) at 11:30am on BBC One.
Read more: Lives in the Wild star Ben Fogle on his son’s tragic stillbirth
So what do you think of this story? You can leave us a comment on our Facebook page @EntertainmentDailyFix and let us know.
Sandip Ghosh Arrest: Union Minister Sukanta Majumdar Crticize TMC After Sandip Ghosh Arrest | News18
Bearish Outlook for Bitcoin Amidst Negative Correlation with Gold, Says CryptoQuant
“Hope He Doesn’t Take Anybody’s Advice…”: Ex-India Star Warns Gautam Gambhir Ahead Of Bangladesh Tests
‘Status Symbol’: As Splinter Faction Claims to Be ‘Real JD(S)’, Is Party Headed Shiv Sena, AIADMK, NCP Way?
Prime Minister Narendra Modi To Launch Projects Worth ₹21,500 crore In Poll Bound Telangana | News18
Google Chrome Launches A New AI Tool Named ‘Help Me Write’
-
Politics9 months ago‘Status Symbol’: As Splinter Faction Claims to Be ‘Real JD(S)’, Is Party Headed Shiv Sena, AIADMK, NCP Way?
-
Politics12 months agoPrime Minister Narendra Modi To Launch Projects Worth ₹21,500 crore In Poll Bound Telangana | News18
-
Press Release9 months agoGoogle Chrome Launches A New AI Tool Named ‘Help Me Write’
-
Tech10 months agoAndreessen Horowitz backs Civitai, a generative AI content marketplace with millions of users
-
Cryptocurrency11 months agoRecent Funding Rounds for Crypto Projects & Companies on October 19th💼🚀
-
Tech11 months agoCharacter.AI introduces group chats where people and multiple AIs can talk to each other
-
Sports12 months agoCricket World Cup Warm-up: Australia Edge Pakistan As India Go 3,400km For World Cup Washout
-
Tech12 months agoDiving Into Beauty: Ocean Photographer Of The Year 2023 Reveals Stunning Marine Shots