The former Bradford home of Yorkshire Ripper, Peter Sutcliffe

Peter Sutcliffe (1946-2020) was an English mass murderer who killed 13 women and attempted to kill seven more in the region of Yorkshire, England between 1975-80. This named him the grim nickname “The Yorkshire Ripper”.

Sutcliffe suffered from paranoid schizophrenia and believed that God had commanded him to kill what he believed were prostitutes. This of course was internalised misogyny, as well as his own sexual perversions. His killing spree was enabled by the incompetence of police, as well as the negative attitudes towards women and sex workers of that time.

After being caught by chance on being arrested for possessing false number plates in 1981, Sutcliffe confessed to the murders and despite trying to argue a case for diminished responsibility, was given a life sentence which was later extended to a whole life tariff. Sutcliffe died in Durham hospital from implications from a heart attack in 2020, having been serving his sentence at maximum security prison in HMP Frankland.

Before his sentence, Sutcliffe lived with his wife Sonia Sutcliffe (now Woodward) in a house in 6 Garden Lane, Heaton, Bradford. They had bought the house for £16,000 in 1977 and despite everything, they still owned it. None of the murders were committed in the home. Sonia however, moved out for obvious reasons and the house was left vacant for decades, although she still returned to tend to the garden.

Since Peter’s death in 2020, there has been speculation that she could now sell the home (now worth £250,000) as she no longer has to legally divide the proceeds of the property with him. The fate of the property thus remains unknown.

Disclaimer: The Phantasmal does not endorse the glorification of Sutcliffe or his crimes in any way, but we reserve the right to cover it as a dark location for freedom of speech and information purposes. Please be mindful of the horrific acts he committed against young, innocent and defenceless women.