Yorkshire Ripper refused to shield in prison before Covid death, inquest told

Murderer of 13 women in 1970s chose not to follow preventive measures for inmates, coroner hears

PETER SUTCLIFFE, the Yorkshire Ripper, refused to shield in prison before dying of Covid, an inquest has heard.

He had been warned he was vulnerable to coronavirus by authorities at Frankland prison, near Durham, but declined to be shielded behind bars.

Sutcliffe died, aged 74, at the University Hospital of North Durham on Nov 13 last year, coroner Crispin Oliver, sitting in Crook, Co Durham, was told.

He had been transferred four times between the prison’s healthcare unit and hospital in the days leading up to his death.

There were no suspicious circumstances, the coroner found, and Sutcliffe received equivalent healthcare to someone who was not an inmate. Mr Oliver said: “Peter Sutcliffe is now dead. He died a natural death having received good medical care.

“Obviously I think of his family at this time, but [my thoughts] also return to those women whose names I read out at the opening of this inquest last November – they were his victims.

“My continuing best wishes go to their families, loved ones and friends.”

Sutcliffe, who changed his name to Coonan, was serving a life sentence for the murders of 13 women in the 1970s, and was suffering from heart disease, diabetes and kidney disease.

He was first taken to hospital after feeling dizzy on Oct 27 and being diagnosed at the prison’s healthcare unit with a blocked heart.

He returned to Frankland on Nov 4 and it was after this first hospital stay that he tested positive for Covid-19.

Angela Spence, the prison’s head of healthcare, said Sutcliffe was treated with antibiotics for a cough and tests showed he had a rapid heart rate. Lee Drummond, the prison governor, said Sutcliffe was admitted to hospital a final time on Nov 10. He said vulnerable prisoners had been warned of the dangers of the virus when the country locked down in March last year.

They were offered measures similar to shielding in the community, being kept apart from other inmates at meal times and using the phone separately, but Sutcliffe had turned these down.

Dc Alistair Rogowski, who investigated Sutcliffe’s death, said the prison lockdown made it impossible to investigate his cell, but there was no evidence to suggest anything other than a death from natural causes.

Pathologist Dr Clive Bloxham, appearing via video, said his post mortem examination revealed Sutcliffe had “extremely heavy lungs” – typical of someone with coronavirus.

He said the cause of death was Covid19 infection, with heart disease and diabetes contributing.

He confirmed the death was not suspicious and was from natural causes.