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3 Episodes 2019 - 2019
Episode 1
58 mins
Liza Williams interviews police officers, journalists, and the children/relatives of some of the victims of the so-called 'Yorkshire Ripper', who terrorized northern England in the mid/late 1970s.
Episode 2
59 mins
As the Ripper's murders cause terror in the north of England and the unknown killer becomes a kind of cult figure, with Yorkshire Ripper chants at football matches and Thin Lizzy's single "Killer On The Loose" reaching the top ten, "Manhunt" explores how the police investigation became a wild goose chase. Letters and a tape claiming to come from the murderer himself lead the police to believe the killer is from the North East. Women who survived attacks by the Ripper claim police ignored their witness statements and promising lines of inquiry were derailed - all because they did not fit with senior officers' theory about the killer's motivation. Ending with the arrest of Peter Sutcliffe, it was discovered that his name was already in multiple police files: he had been interviewed nine times during the course of the investigation. Had the police arrested him the first time he was questioned in November 1977, seven women's lives might have been saved. Letters and a tape claiming to come from the murderer himself lead the police to believe the killer is from the North East. Women who survived attacks by the Ripper claim police ignored their witness statements and promising lines of inquiry were derailed - all because they did not fit with senior officers' theory about the killer's motivation.
Episode 3
59 mins
Film-maker Liza Williams explores the trial and conviction of Peter Sutcliffe, and the effect the media had on the legacy of 'Yorkshire Ripper' murders.