Yorkshire Ripper Peter Sutcliffe loses life tariff case

Peter Sutcliffe is detained at Broadmoor psychiatric hospital

Yorkshire Ripper Peter Sutcliffe has lost a bid to go to the highest court in the land to challenge an order that he should never be released.

Sutcliffe received 20 life sentences in 1981 for murdering 13 women and attempting to murder seven others.

The 64-year-old serial killer was applying for permission to challenge a High Court order in 2010 that he must serve a "whole life" tariff.

His bid to take his case to the Supreme Court was rejected by the Appeal Court.

The Lord Chief Justice, Lord Judge, said the Court of Appeal had refused to certify that a point of general public importance was involved in the appeal.

Wednesday's hearing follows a ruling in January by the same court upholding the "whole life" tariff set for Sutcliffe in the High Court in July 2010.

Sutcliffe, who is now known as Peter Coonan, was convicted at the Old Bailey in 1981.

He is now detained at Broadmoor High Security hospital in Berkshire.

The former lorry driver, from Bradford, West Yorkshire, received 20 life terms for the murder of 13 women and the attempted murder of others in Yorkshire and Greater Manchester.