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Post by brandykins on Feb 19, 2009 0:56:30 GMT
Yorkshire Ripper should remain behind bars 'for his own safety' Peter Sutcliffe, the Yorkshire Ripper, should be kept behind bars for his own safety, it has been claimed, after it emerged he had been passed fit to be moved from Broadmoor mental hospital. By Richard Edwards and Paul Stokes Last Updated: 6:41PM GMT 18 Feb 2009
Peter Sutcliffe Fears that the convicted serial killer could be classified as "low-risk" and eventually released back into society caused anger among the family of victims and police officers who worked on his notorious case.
However doctors treating Sutcliffe – who murdered 13 women and tried to kill seven others – apparently told his lawyers that there is more concern with the threat posed to his safety by vigilantes than the threat he could pose to the public.
The husband of Olive Smelt, one of Sutcliffe's surviving victims, agreed the killer would be at risk if he was released.
Harry Smelt, 84, said: "There are people out there who would be happy to accept the notoriety gained from topping him. I think he would be at terrible risk from some of those nutters."
Mr Smelt said personally he thought Sutcliffe should remain in prison.
"He left 26 orphans, so how can anybody ever be punished for that adequately? The death sentence would have been too good for him. One just hopes that he rots in jail.
"The system is all wrong anyway, allowing him to get away with it all those years ago. We just sit and watch the merry-go-round over what happens to him now."
Doctors at top security hospital Broadmoor have told lawyers for Sutcliffe that he is no longer dangerous.
If Justice Secretary Jack Straw agrees to classify him as low-risk, he could be moved to a medium-security prison and eventually released back into society.
But sources said it is highly unlikely that Sutcliffe would ever be released.
A retired police officer who worked on the Ripper case said that he was "staggered" at the revelations.
Chris Gregg, a retired Detective Chief Superintendent with West Yorkshire Police, who worked on four of the Ripper murders, said surviving victims would be "aghast" at the thought.
He said: "It is an affront to common sense if that does ever happen. He killed 13 people and attempted to kill seven others. If that doesn't warrant serving a whole life behind bars I don't know what does."
Sutcliffe, from Bradford, Yorkshire, was jailed in 1981 for his murder spree across Yorkshire and in Manchester. He was given 20 life sentences and was told by the judge that he would serve a minimum of 30 years. He began his sentence in prison but three years later was diagnosed with schizophrenia and transferred to Broadmoor.
A spokeswoman for the Ministry of Justice said she was unable to comment on individual cases.
Telegraph UK article.
I think it dreadful if he gets out. Someone will get him though. What I don't understand is why call it a "life" sentence!! Those he murdered never go live a life. He would have been given lift sentences for each murder he committed.
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Post by lynx on Feb 19, 2009 6:47:57 GMT
I thought prison was about punishment not just keeping dangerous people off the streets. If not then there an awful lot of 'un-dangerous' people who should be released for minor crimes like not being able to afford to pay a TV license.
Then when you consider how much it must cost to keep him in jail perhaps it would be an idea to release him and all the families who have been affected by his evil doings can be waiting outside with hammers. At the front of the line could be the survivors who he had left for dead.
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Post by micki on Feb 19, 2009 8:37:09 GMT
WHAT? ARE THEY KIDDING? why are they concerned with HIS safety? they should be concerned with other peoples safety if he is released. he's a psycho.. psychos display behaviour that has no consideration for their own individual safety. i used to know a guy who actually shared a brew with Sutcliffe whilst he was killing these women. he even commented once about how terrible these killing were whilst drinking a brew. the guy i used to know said u would never have guessed it was him.. he appeared as shocked as others about these murders and all the time it was him doing them... Everyone on ere knows wot i think should happen to these kind of killers.
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Post by laplady on Feb 19, 2009 10:02:46 GMT
I agree with you all, this man should be locked up for the rest of his life, and could you blame the victims relatives for wanting to inflict their own punishment on him, but if caught will they be tried with mental problems!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Post by brandykins on Feb 19, 2009 10:30:34 GMT
It's the same with every psychos in jail, all the so-called do-gooders shout out about their rights!! They gave up their rights when they took another life. I hope that if he is released, then someone gets to him and hit him with a hammer and do to him what he did to those he murdered and nearly murdered. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_SutcliffeTime for the British judicial system to take a few lessons on how to deal with murderers and give out sentences which mean life as the States do - life for each murder. I would love to hear what those do-gooders if one of their relations/friends were murdered by him, or other murderers! They would be the first to say give the murderers life! Bring back the hanging!
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Post by benzmum on Feb 19, 2009 11:52:01 GMT
Oh things like this annoy me so much. HIS safety??? As others have said what has that got to do with anything!! It makes me so very very angry that they are more conmcerned about that than they are about the impact on his victims (who did survive) and their families.
I spent the last 4 years of my working life (till June last year) trying to rehabilitate and help ex offenders. I am sorry but in the majority of cases the word ex is ajoke many were out on parole, many were still offending but not getting caught and yes some were on life licence for murder, attempted murder and rape and sexual offences.
I can not say they ALL were a risk to the public, as one or two were trully remorseful but by one guys own admission (and he was very remorseful for what he had done) he stated that he did not know what drove him to commit murder, he regrets it, he is sorry to his victims family etc but as he said because he does not know why he finds it difficult to say he will never be in that situation again, he said if he snapped once what is there to say he won't snap again....and that is straight from the horses mouth.
And Micki is definitely right in that in the vast majority of serious cases the criminal is a clever manipulator who will do anything to get the world and its aunt to believe they are no longer a threat, and judging by the repeat offences I beg to differ. I could go on and on about the judicial system and sentencing in this country but I won't, I'd be hear all day. Suffice to say in my opinion life should be life and not with all the mod cons and comforts taht are available and if you are sentenced to say 7 years it should be 7 and not just halfthe sentence that is served (as happens in the majority of cases)
I am not saying everyone who has ever offended is beyond help or rehabilitation, as some genuinely end up in a life of crime as they see no alternative and if such individuals want help then they should be given the opportunity to turn their life around but repeat offences and calculated serious and serial offenders need to be punished...after all in this country we ban whole breeds of dog because they MIGHT offend (by attacking and MAYBE killing) knee jerk reactions have caused non - dangerous family pets to be killed needlessly and yet people in power and the likes are worried about what "poor" criminals like sutcliffe, and the same with hindley and brady, might be subjected to if released...meanwhile we all pay for him to be safe warm fed and watch tv. But I do except that this is prefrable to him causing terror in his victims and their family.
Sorry rant over. I apologise if I have offended anyone with anything I have written.
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Post by micki on Feb 19, 2009 12:25:29 GMT
good post Lynne.. there is a distinct difference between a murderer and a serial killer.. anyone of us could be a murderer given the right/wrong set of circumstances/situations but a serial killer does it for other reasons and continues to do it.
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Post by poodlemadness on Feb 19, 2009 23:05:55 GMT
every interview over the years of him he has practically stated he will do it again people who have shared the prison with him state the same as they say he has told them i personally wouldn't trust the man no matter how much time he served once akiller always a killer sorry folks
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Post by brandykins on Feb 20, 2009 0:42:25 GMT
But will they listen? No. "They" know best!! I remember reading about a man who got out of jail on licence (he had been inside for murder) and the first thing he did was murder another young woman!! Will they ever learn - never. As long as there are so-called "do-gooders" around, they will let them out. It's a wonder the Moors murderers were kept inside and the evil Myra Hindley died in jail. Brady will as well! That is what should be. Yet the late Lord Longford fought to get Hindley out!!
Sutcliffe should never be allowed out. Keep him inside! He doesn't deserve to be free.
Makes me angry to think he could be let out - his appearance would be changed, a new identity and money to live on and a house paid for by the state!!
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Post by ilovecornsnakes on Feb 20, 2009 10:51:09 GMT
i know i wasn't around / able to remember (and thank goodness from what i've read / seen on tv bout it) when all this was happening and on the wole i disagree with capital punishment, but with people who murder repeatedly then i would agree with deah sentance, or if they murder once, get out and do it again. but as some one else has said, sometimes they do realise what they've done and the guilt from that if they really feel it as a normal person would then that would be worse than any sentance the legal systm can pass out. i must admit they seem a little loopy, locking people away a full sentance for small crimes and letting them out 1/2 way through for large ones. if death sentance came back though then some people would say 'what if you put the wrong person to death?' so the evidence would have to be completly all saying crim did it with out a doubt - and as a forensics student i know how hard that would be - but in the right surcumstances i would agree with death penalty, after all it is used on aimals and people who murder knowing what they are doing and doing it anyway are far lower than animals - animals don't understand its murder, to them it might be self defence / food / playing that goes too far. and if death was brought back it wuld save money - serious / serial murderers die, more space / time/ money / food for those who can be rehabilitated or who comitted 'smaller' crimes (e.g. fewer less harmed victims) and less money paid by those out side, and with space they can serve full sentances rather than 1/2, and those who don't deserve a prison sentance could be given a fine to help pay for the criminals in prison.
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Post by scosha37 on Feb 20, 2009 13:39:08 GMT
Let him rot in Jail where he belongs!....
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Post by brandykins on Feb 21, 2009 1:04:10 GMT
Good points there, Lindsey. I too wish the Death Sentence would be brought back, for cases like the Ripper and also for Child Killers.
I agree with you Sharon - let him rot in jail!
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Post by poodlemadness on Feb 21, 2009 21:27:40 GMT
i agree let him rott i remember when he was on his killing spree when he killed the nurse at the back of hillards in headingly leeds that was the way i walked home everyday from school and not an hour before he killed her i had passed by the spot chills me to the bone i walked round after that day instead of cutting through
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Post by ilovecornsnakes on Feb 21, 2009 21:36:22 GMT
one other thing i should have said on previous post - if they did bring back death sentance it should be a quick method and not one of those entertainment for the public long processes, even though people who take so many lives don't deserve the respect a quick less painful death would stop some complaints from protestors rather than hanging whih can go wrong if the neck doesn't break and cause a longer slower death.
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Post by brandykins on Feb 22, 2009 13:24:57 GMT
They would also have to be very thorough and make sure the person is the murderer. I remember reading and my Dad telling me about it, 10 Rillington Place (think it was that) about Christie and a young couple who stayed up the stairs from him, Timothy Evans and his wife and baby. His wife and baby were murdered and he, poor soul, was charged and found guilty and sentenced to death. He told the authorities it wasn't him and to check out Christie. His pleas were ignored and he went to the Gallows still maintaining his innocence and saying it was Christie. Christie moved on and an Asian family (I think it was) took over his house and one tapped the wall and it was hollow so they opened it up and inside were bodies!! Christie was then tracked down and arrested and it came out that he did, in fact, murder Timothy Evans' wife and baby! So Timothy Evens was posthumously pardoned - poor chap!! I believe too that it was a difficult hanging.
I agree that the death penalty should be brought back, but it would have to be really proved that the person was guilty - and in the case of the Yorkshire Ripper, Hindley, Brady and their ilk would have been hung and the tax payer would have been quids in!!
When will the judicial system ever change I wonder!! Ours must be the worst in the world!! The softly-softly approach isn't working at all.
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