Should the Yorkshire Ripper ever be freed?

Notorious serial killer Peter Sutcliffe, dubbed the Yorkshire Ripper, was jailed in 1981 for the murder of thirteen women, most of whom were prostitutes. He also attempted to murder seven other women but was unsuccessful. The murders were committed in Yorkshire and Manchester between 1975 and 1980. He was finally arrested in the Broomhill area of Sheffield and sentenced to twenty life sentences, being told he would serve a minimum of thirty years. His reign of terror left 23 children motherless and those who survived his attacks severely traumatized.

Having served most of his time at maximum security hospital Broadmoor, there have been recent reports in the press that he could one day be released and sent to a medium security prison, meaning that theoretically, he could one day be rehabilitated. According to a report by the Sun, doctors have decided that he is effectively cured, provided he continues to take his medication. His solicitor also claimed last year that the Home Office had disregarded his human rights as it failed to formally fix a tariff for his sentence. He is aiming to get Sutcliffe back into the prison system to a less secure prison which would prove highly controversial if this ever happened.

We asked the people of Sheffield what they thought about the prospect of this notorious serial killer ever being rehabilitated, and if they think he should ever be released.

“If Peter Sutcliffe has been rehabilitated, I guess you can’t keep him in a maximum security unit if he has received treatment.”
Steve, 23, Sheffield.

“I was in my teens when the Yorkshire Ripper was on the loose. I remember as a 15 year old girl living in Yorkshire we didn’t have the amount of freedom we should have had because it was too dangerous. It is very prominent in my memory and although it was a long time ago I don’t think this warrants him being released from Broadmoor.”
Wendy Appleby, Sheffield.

“I think he should stay where he is.”

John Mcloughlin, Sheffield.

Story by Lucy Owen and Deborah Reilly