Product Description

Revelatory investigation into the police handling of the Yorkshire Ripper Case which spanned over 14 years. For the first time, the files have been opened, the detectives are talking and the victims are reliving the nightmare. For over twenty years, the dark secrets of the biggest criminal manhunt in British history have remained a closed book. Detectives refused all requests to tell the inside story of the Yorkshire Ripper investigation that logged over two million manhours of police work. The victims who survived maintained a wall of silence. And the detailed forensic evidence, witness statements and autopsy reports have remained locked away. Until now. Award-winning writer Michael Bilton has persuaded the key people to talk. After years of exhaustive research he can finally reveal the extraordinary truth behind the murder enquiry that left Peter Sutcliffe free to kill again and again. With exclusive access to the detectives involved, to pathologist's archives and confidential police reports, the story of the hunt reads as tensely as any thriller. Its measured analysis of the calamitous investigation is also a shocking and important indictment of the most notorious murder hunt of the twentieth century.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #24524 in Books
• Published on: 2003-08-04
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 640 pages

Review
Peter Sutcliffe, the Yorkshire Ripper, cast an evil shadow over the north of England in the 1970s. Like his Victorian predecessor, Jack, he had a powerful hold on the public imagination as rumours and theories spread like wildfire and the body count of women grew. Ideas as to what could drive a man to kill with such frenzied, perverted ferocity were ten a penny. So it's with some surprise that we find this latest addition to the huge library of books on the subject isn't based on some worthless interview with a madman, and isn't prepared to waste hundreds of pages on baseless speculation. This is, instead, the story of the hunt for Sutcliffe - the quarter of a million police interviews, the painstaking house-to-house searches, the hands and knees search for clues. Of course, much of that work was wasted and fruitless (Sutcliffe was interviewed several times, but vital clues were never pieced together), and many were quick to blame the police - among them Margaret Thatcher, who thought that those in charge shared the Ripper's contempt for women. Bilton (who covered the case for the Sunday Times for many years) uncovers witless blundering, missing files, seemingly blindingly obvious clues ignored and dunder-headed inter-police rivalries that thwarted the investigation and cost lives. He uncovers another dozen attacks (to add to the official toll of 13) that can reasonably be put down to Sutcliffe - including two on men. He also reveals Sutcliffe's killing wear - a V-neck jumper that stretched down to protect the knees and exposed the genitals to enable him to masturbate over the bodies. But for all the police failures, Bilton is remarkably fair with the men involved, portraying them as decent and honest men who were out of their depth and hampered by the failings of a cumbersome system. The sort of computer-based DNA checks we have now would have solved this in weeks. That, of course, is no consolation to the relatives of Sutcliffe's victims, but at least here, Bilton has produced a masterly overview of a police investigation that pinpoints failures with forensic precision and is a fascinating tale of a northern nightmare. (Kirkus UK)

Time Out, March 2003
'exceptional account...a masterpiece that reads as well as any thriller.'

Yorkshire Post, 13 February, 2003
'definitive...Bilton is a fine writer. Wicked Beyond Belief is a gripping and probing account.'

Customer Reviews

Excellent study of this case
Michael Bilton has, in my view, produced the best book yet on the Yorkshire Ripper. Bilton takes you through the entire case and each murder individually, highlighting the evidence and events without sensationalising them at all. He does not just accept the recorded version of events but examines thoroughly any errors or discrepancies he sees before coming to a conclusion about the reality of events. For example, he looks into the possibility that one of the Ripper's victims in Manchester may in fact not have been killed by him at all, and comes up with some pretty convincing arguments. He backs all of this up with detail of Yorkshire life and policing, and portraits of the officers involved in the case to provide a thorough study of how events unfolded.

The book could have been improved by some interview with the Ripper himself. I can understand why Bilton did not want to do this, but I cannot concur that the Ripper could not tell him anything about the crime of use. It is essential that we try to understand these people and their motivations. Unfortunatly this means given them the attention some of them crave, but it is a worthwhile sacrifice if it assists our understanding of such evil people.

Bilton focuses also on the victims and their lives, rather than glossing over them and focusing on the criminal alone as many books of this genre too. He provides a good insight into how the lives of the families and the police officers involved were affected. Whilst undoubtedly the police made mistakes, they are too often turned into the enemy, with little understanding as to the pressure they were under. Bilton looks closely at methods of investigation at the time and the problems this caused in such a massive investigation. A small criticism is that he does tend to be slightly biased towards the police and give them a bit too much benefit of the doubt over their mistakes, which really were far too many whatever the pressure of the investigation.

The book is a very thorough study of the case but one aspect I would have liked a bit more of an examination into is the Wearside Jack issue - who the hoaxer might have been and his motivations. This was a crucial part of the investigation and I felt a bit more detail on this would have been useful to put the hoaxer issue into context. However, overall this really is an excellent and important book and well worth a read for anyone with an interest in true crime.

Gripping Stuff
This is an excellent book. It tells the story of the hunt for the Yorkshire Ripper, aka Peter Sutcliffe, in a gripping, objective and very real way.

With hindsight the ripper should have been caught several years before he was, and the book highlights in great detail the flaws in the investigation, the various blind alleys that were followed to no avail and most of all how back in the 1970's the lack of the scientific and technologocial processes (DNA and Computers) we take for granted, made this extraordianry manhunt such an onerous endeavour. That being said, some of the decisions made by detectives and the powers that be were woeful and the fact that peter Sutcliffe was actually interviewed 9 times! over the course of his 6 year reign of terror, but nothing was done, beggars belief and highlights the communication flaws and general narrow mindedness/clutching at straws mentality that plagued the investigation.

Although I knew what the outcome was, the book raced through at an exciting pace and left me feeling excited, frightened, appalled, angry and stupified simultaneously.

Not for the faint hearted, but a terrific read all the same.

Bad Egg
Excellent book on the subject - clearly excellently researched. Bilton knows the story well. It makes fascinating reading and not only is it a document on the ripper investigation, it is also full of historical information on the history of Yorkshire policing.
It is also very sad and depressing. Lots of dreadfull accounts of the killings and the destruction of many families' happiness. There were premature deaths and failing health amongst those in the victims' families also and amongst the officers themselves - the head of the investigation for most of it, George Oldfield suffered a heart attack during it and died 5 years later at 61, while Dennis Hoban died suddenly in 1978 of diabetic problems at 51.

Just a few minor things:

Bilton says he wasn't remotely interested in Sutcliffe himself and that he could tell him nothing except that he was a sick and perverted murderer, but unfortunately and as disgusting as it sounds, you do have to look at sick perverted murderers themselves and interview them to look at their crimes objectively - that's what police have to do and Bilton was trying to look at things from a police perspective.

He almost canonises the policemen as well. I know Dick Holland was a good policeman in many ways and worked hard, but no judgement was passed on him by the author for being ignorant and boorish towards a junior DC for trying to alert him to his suspicions of Sutcliffe a few years before he was apprehended - it's just another missed chance to get Sutcliffe. He was also a dirty cop at times - Bilton gives the impression he just cut a few corners here and there, but got results in the end. One small aside - what he failed to mention (and presumably he knew this very well) was that it was this same Dick Holland who arrested, helped intimidate a confession out of and stitch up Stefan Kiszco for the murder of 11-year-old Leslie Moleseed in the 1970's. Vital evidence that would have established Kiszko's innocence during the trial was also withheld by the police. Kiszco served 16 years before being cleared and his premature death in his early 40's from a heart attack a year later was, no doubt, caused by this as well. Holland faced criminal charges for this, but is still portrayed as a decent, honest bloke.

He says about how heroic the police were getting Sutcliffe to confess - Sutcliffe volunteered his confession after just a few questions. There was little encouragement and no clever manipulation by the police.

That said though, it was a difficult and nearly impossible job. They did try and problems and paperwork did snowball, which has to be taken into account. They are ALL portrayed as honest and decent men and in fairness, many were. This is despite what's mentioned above, several mess ups (most understandable, many not), the fact that orders were given to destroy evidence and that they tried to cover some things up afterwards.

Also, he flogs that 'killing kit' thing to death at the end of the book. OK - it is a strange and bizarre revelation, BUT the lack of mentioning it at the trial isn't the sole reason that Sutcliffe got away with going to Broadmoor.
He says this proved premeditation - there was no need to prove this because he admitted premeditation himself - he said himself he drove around looking for victims.
He also says that it proves a sexual motive throughout, dispelling the madness plea, but Sutcliffe admitted himself that he was aroused and had sex with Helen Rytka while she was lying there dying of head wounds and before he finished the job off by stabbing her.
The judge and 10 of the jury certainly and some of the cops probably knew he was bad rather than mad anyway and rejected his story of hearing voices telling him to do it at the time.
Also, was it not the cops' mess up that he wasn't questioned about this killing kit after it was discovered? Or that it wasn't included in evidence? Or that wheoever overheard him telling his wife he would plead insanity wasn't called?

Some of the transcripts in the appendix are dated after the discovery of this killing kit and it isn't mentioned in there at all. Also, in his initial interview, he talks about the people he's attacked as women at one point, rather than prostitutes, so it was inconsistent anyway.

Despite these few faults it is a fascinating and gripping book and I recommend it highly. ESSENTIAL reading for anyone interested in the case, in criminal investigation and true crime. Good value too - it's a big book of over 700 pages packed with information.
For what it's worth I do believe he is right in saying Sutcliffe is bad and should be in jail rather than Broadmoor. Very sad business and dreadfull that one man could cause so much havoc for so many people in terms of life lost, health ruined and wasted time, money, effort and resources.