Peter Sutcliffe, a murderer who became known as the ‘Yorkshire Ripper’ after killing 13 women in northern England decades ago, has died in hospital.
The 74-year-old had tested positive for the coronavirus, but had refused treatment, the prison service said.
Sutcliffe, a former gravedigger, was sentenced to life in prison in 1981 after killing 13 women during a five-year period.
He had attempted to kill seven others, and was also discovered to have been behind a number of other crimes.
The shock at the brutality of his attacks was followed by outrage at the police for their inability to arrest him sooner and prevent more deaths.
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The serial killer spent about 30 years in a secure hospital in south-eastern England after being diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia,(A disorder that affects a person’s ability to think, feel and behave clearly).
He was moved to a high-security prison in 2016.
He had also suffered from a heart condition, diabetes and obesity.(dpa/NAN).