Yorkshire Ripper dead: Peter Sutcliffe dies after refusing care for coronavirus

Peter Sutcliffe murdered 13 women between 1975 and 1980 (Picture: REX/PA)

Yorkshire Ripper Peter Sutcliffe died this morning after turning down hospital treatment for coronavirus.

The 74-year-old serial killer would have spent his last moments alone, with no visitors allowed due to Covid-19 rules.

Last week it emerged that Sutcliffe had tested positive for the disease after returning to HMP Frankland, County Durham, following a five night stay in hospital suspected heart problems.

The murderer had been suffering for some time with several health problems including obesity and diabetes.

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Sources close to him said coronavirus could ‘finish him off’ and that he was paranoid about succumbing to the disease.

It has been reported that Sutcliffe ‘found god’ several years ago and believed he would ‘go to heaven’ if he dies.

Sutcliffe had spent more than 30 years in Broadmoor psychiatric hospital before being moved to HMP Frankland (Picture: REX)

Twelve of the 13 victims of the Yorkshire Ripper (Picture: PA)

The Jehova’s Witness said he didn’t want to prolong his life ‘artificially’ and decided to turn down hospital treatment.

Describing his final moments, a source told the Sun: ‘No tears were shed. His death was as pitiful as the vile life he had lived.’

The killer spent almost 40 years locked up for murdering 13 women and trying to kill seven others between 1975 and 1980.

For more than 30 years he was in Broadmoor psychiatric hospital, where he was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia, before being moved to Frankland Prison.

The Yorkshire Ripper already had a number of health conditions including obesity and diabetes (Picture: REX)

Police searching the ground behind Sutcliffe’s home in Bradford following his arrest in January 1981 (Picture: Getty Images)

Former detectives believe that he could be responsible for up to 22 further killings and families, who are convinced he murdered their loved ones, and were hoping for a confession before his death.

Sutcliffe’s younger brother Carl, from West Yorkshire, recently admitted that his death would be a ‘bit of a relief’.

He told the Mirror: ‘I know it is a horrible thing to say because he’s my brother. But there will be sadness too, because he’s my brother at the end of the day.

‘We still get pointed at in the street and they whisper, “That’s the Yorkshire Ripper’s brother.”‘

More to follow.

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