Peter Sutcliffe: Inquest opens into death of serial killer

Peter Sutcliffe was convicted of murdering 13 women and attempting to kill seven others

Serial killer Peter Sutcliffe died from a combination of Covid-19, diabetes and heart disease, an inquest has heard.

The coroner began the hearing by remembering all the women known to have been attacked by Sutcliffe, who died on 13 November.

Crook Civic Centre heard Sutcliffe had a number of underlying health conditions which left him almost blind and needing to use a wheelchair.

He was serving a whole life term for the murders of 13 women.

Sutcliffe, who was 74, was an inmate of the maximum security Frankland jail and died at the University Hospital of North Durham.

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Crispin Oliver, assistant coroner for County Durham and Darlington, read out the names of all the women he was convicted of murdering and others he is known to have attacked.

His murders across Yorkshire and Manchester from 1975 to 1980 terrified northern England and led to a huge manhunt and a botched police inquiry.

Det Insp Claire Lambert, of Durham Constabulary, told the hearing that police were told of Sutcliffe's admission to hospital on 10 November.

She said he had been ill for weeks before being transferred to hospital and confirmed there were no suspicious circumstances surrounding his death.

The inquest was adjourned until 1 February for a mention hearing.

Sutcliffe's victims

• Wilma McCann, 28, Leeds, October 1975

• Emily Jackson, 42, Leeds, January 1976

• Irene Richardson, 28, Leeds, February 1977

• Patricia Atkinson, 32, Bradford, April 1977

• Jayne McDonald, 16, Leeds, June 1977

• Jean Jordan, 21, Manchester, October 1977

• Yvonne Pearson, 22, Bradford, January 1978

• Helen Rytka, 18, Huddersfield, January 1978

• Vera Millward, 41, Manchester, May 1978

• Josephine Whittaker, 19, Halifax, May 1979

• Barbara Leach, 20, Bradford, September 1979

• Marguerite Walls, 47, Leeds, August 1980

• Jacqueline Hill, 20, Leeds, November 1980