The Long Shadow Part 2

[naomi24]

Telling the story of the hunt for the Yorkshire Ripper.  I watched the last in the series last night and the outcome was quite shocking.  One of his victims who survived his attack was awarded a fairly small amount in compensation, but lost her benefits because of it, and the detective who worked on the case sold his story to the newspapers for far more than she was awarded.  Sometimes there really is no justice.

 

Excellent series though.  It held my interest to the end.

[brainiac]

I agree.  There's an excellent 3-part documentary on BBC 2 called 'The Yorkshire Ripper Files' which dispassionately examines the whole sorry affair - some amazing picture research involved.  Last part next Sunday, but I'm sure it's available on iPlayer

[retrocop]

Thats the similar type of poor justice that alleged rapist got when he was found innocent after many years in gaol and the authorities wanted to charge him for his board and lodgings from the pitiful compensation package he was awarded. Adding insult to injury. Shameful.

[Redhelen72]

Had the police actually 'listened' to the ladies they would have caught him a lot sooner.

But the police were blinded by their own bigotry and beliefs.

Which led to more victims than there should have been.

[naomi24]

I set that to record, brainiac.  Thanks for the heads up on quality.  I might start it tonight.  

[brainiac]

Among many perplexing things about this, is why nobody recognized the voice of John Humble, the perpetrator of the hoax 'Ripper' tape which so threw the investigators off course.  His voice on the tape was everywhere, all news bulletins etc and there was even a dedicated phone line you could call to hear the tape.

[Patsy33]

Can't praise it enough. Brilliant acting. Nice to get the victims side put out there, instead of giving the criminal notoriety.

[brainiac]

He was interviewed 9 times, and caught by mistake !

[ladybirder]

Didn't Humble get a prison term??

[naomi24]

brainiac, //nobody recognized the voice of John Humble, the perpetrator of the hoax 'Ripper' tape//

 

Incredible - but what sort of mentality does something like that?   Whatever possesses them?

[brainiac]

Humble got 8 years, released after 4.  He died in 2019

[ladybirder]

Thank you brainiac.  What a total idiot he was.

As well as the copper in charge.

More women were murdered because of this.

And I can't get my head around the Ripper's wife!!

[brainiac]

Sonia Sutcliffe was awarded libel damages against Private Eye of £600,000 for saying she was trying to profit from his crimes.  Ian Hislop famously said  "if that's justice, I'm a banana."  Amount was later reduced to £60,000

[ladybirder]

Didn't know that, thank you brainiac.  I'll look it up.   

 

[THECORBYLOON]

BRAINIAC, a recorded voice being played in a room and broadcast on TV or radio might sound  different enough from the voice in real life to make it difficult to recognise it.

 

I doubt the sound quality listening on the 'phone would have been helpful either.

 

[ToraToraTora]

I watched it and what struck me was the sheer tunnel vision of the senior officers. They were determined that the fake tape was genuine and the guy had a jordy accent. Even when it was demonstrated by a junior officer that the tape must be fake, 2 murders before the end. Were they really that incompetant?

[jackthehat]

The police were narrow-minded and blinkered and only became really energised when he started killing 'innocent and undeserving' women like 16-year old Jayne MacDonald rather than the 'street toms' he had targetted previously.

[naomi24]

The wife behaved very oddly with the police.  She didn't show any reaction.  She just switched the television on.  Was she in denial - or had she suspected it was him? 

[ladybirder]

Sonia's words on learning her husband was the killer, tweeting that she had said: “Oh Peter, how could you. Even a sparrow has a right to life.” Sonia has never given an interview, but she was quoted in the Sheffield Star by a reporter who had chatted with her during the trial.  

[naomi24]

LB, even that is an oddly bland response.  I can't find the words to describe what mine might be.  I'd be absolutely horrified.

[anneasquith]

Surely ' the wife' would be sedated, no one would act like she did in normal circumstances .