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Let him rot in prison
7:33am Thursday 15th May 2008
Comments (81)Yorkshire Ripper Peter Sutcliffe has been condemned for bidding to win his freedom through human rights legislation.
And a woman who survived one of his vicious attacks has called for him to spend the rest of his days behind bars.
Sutcliffe, 61, is detained in Broadmoor top security hospital for the murder of 13 women and the attempted murder of seven others during a five-year reign of terror in the 1970s.
The Bradford lorry driver and former gravedigger was given 20 life sentences in 1981 and told he would serve a minimum of 30 years. He began his sentence in prison but was diagnosed with schizophrenia three years later and moved to Broadmoor.
Sutcliffe, who has changed his name to Coonan, his mother's maiden name, has now instructed lawyers in London to apply to the courts for a release date.
His solicitor, Saimo Chahal, is expected to argue that the serial killer's human rights were breached by the Home Office because it had failed to formally fix a tariff - the minimum sentence he will serve.
It is claimed Sutcliffe wants to be declared sane and transferred back to the prison system and that his solicitor has asked for a reassessment of his psychiatric condition and will then try to use the European Convention of Human Rights to secure his release by 2011.
Olive Smelt, 78, of Halifax, survived an attack by the Ripper in 1975. She is now wheelchair-bound, has difficulty getting around her flat and needs a carer.
Her husband Harry said last night that the attack by Sutcliffe had taken its toll on his wife.
Mr Smelt said: "He didn't give the victims many human rights. We don't get angry anymore because it's so long ago now, but it is irritating that he keeps trying to find a way to get out.
"Sutcliffe is detained where he belongs and he should see out the rest of his days there.
"I know he will keep trying and he will always have somebody on his side, but he is not going to be released. Our message to him is he is wasting his time and I hope he is."
West Yorkshire Police's most senior detective, Chris Gregg, this week condemned the use of human rights legislation by murderers and rapists in the UK as "callous, heartless and deeply offensive" after the killer of Bradford policeman Ian Broadhurst - David Bieber - argued his full life sentence breached his human rights.
The police chief said criminals who used the legislation caused terrible offence to the families of victims who had suffered appalling and cruel deaths.
Yesterday Detective Chief Superintendent Gregg, who worked on the Ripper inquiry as a young officer, said his comments could equally be applied to Sutcliffe.
Det Chief Supt Gregg said: "Peter Sutcliffe is a murderer. It is the same issue as with David Bieber. My comments apply equally as much to Peter Sutcliffe as any other murderer or rapist."
The Ripper's younger brother Mick Sutcliffe, of Bingley, yesterday insisted there was no chance of him being freed.
"He may think at the back of his mind that he might have a chance, but he will never be let out," said Mick. "Thirty years doesn't mean anything. If it's 40 or 50 years, they will keep him there. Whether he is insane or sane, he will never come out. He will be there till he dies.
"He has never mentioned human rights legislation to me, but it is irrelevant. They will never let him out, because of what he has done and for his own safety. If he was 90, blind in both eyes and completely harmless, somebody would still kill him."
Sutcliffe, who suffers from diabetes, is detained on Broadmoor's hospital wing for treatment to reduce his weight after he ballooned to 19 stone.
A statement from Bindmans and Partners law firm in London said it was instructed by Mr Coonan in respect of the setting of a minimum tariff following his conviction.
It went on: "Any prisoner is entitled to have a tariff set within a reasonable time of conviction which will set out the minimum term of imprisonment to be served.
"Following a reference to the Court by the Secretary of State for Justice in accordance with the terms of the Criminal Justice Act 2003, the Court will consider the evidence and set a tariff in due course."
The Ministry of Justice refused to comment.
Saimo Chahal, a partner in Bindmans, is a specialist human rights lawyer and has been described as a "legal human rights champion." She was named Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year in a 2006 poll for "pushing the boundaries of the law on behalf of those with mental illness."
A report on a legal website said the case was referred to her because she "takes on difficult cases" and she was concerned there was a huge amount of information in the public domain which was "simply untrue."
Your Say YourBradford Telegraph and Argus
Divers_uk, Bingley says...
8:34am Thu 15 May 08
Divers_uk, Bingley says...
8:34am Thu 15 May 08
mad matt, Bradford says...
9:14am Thu 15 May 08
People like Sutcliffe don't deserve the luxury of human rights!
mad matt, Bradford says...
9:14am Thu 15 May 08
People like Sutcliffe don't deserve the luxury of human rights!
mad matt, Bradford says...
9:14am Thu 15 May 08
People like Sutcliffe don't deserve the luxury of human rights!
patty, Queensbury says...
9:50am Thu 15 May 08
patty, Queensbury says...
9:50am Thu 15 May 08
patty, Queensbury says...
9:50am Thu 15 May 08
Puddingandpi, Brighton says...
10:22am Thu 15 May 08
But Peter Sutcliffe free? Over my dead body...
Puddingandpi, Brighton says...
10:22am Thu 15 May 08
But Peter Sutcliffe free? Over my dead body...
Puddingandpi, Brighton says...
10:22am Thu 15 May 08
But Peter Sutcliffe free? Over my dead body...
Positive Pete, Bradford says...
10:37am Thu 15 May 08
To try and use the human rights acts to get a release date when such heinous crimes have been committed is a waste of time and money and not really what the act should be used for.
He should be left where he is.
Positive Pete, Bradford says...
10:37am Thu 15 May 08
To try and use the human rights acts to get a release date when such heinous crimes have been committed is a waste of time and money and not really what the act should be used for.
He should be left where he is.
Positive Pete, Bradford says...
10:37am Thu 15 May 08
To try and use the human rights acts to get a release date when such heinous crimes have been committed is a waste of time and money and not really what the act should be used for.
He should be left where he is.
steve57, bradford says...
10:51am Thu 15 May 08
steve57, bradford says...
10:51am Thu 15 May 08
steve57, bradford says...
10:51am Thu 15 May 08
albion, west riding says...
11:37am Thu 15 May 08
It has no chance of ever happening, and any right minded legal team would have told him to forget it long since.
albion, west riding says...
11:37am Thu 15 May 08
It has no chance of ever happening, and any right minded legal team would have told him to forget it long since.
albion, west riding says...
11:37am Thu 15 May 08
It has no chance of ever happening, and any right minded legal team would have told him to forget it long since.
matthew brannan, says...
12:40pm Thu 15 May 08
What is the point of giving this so called judgement if it doesn't mean that?
If Peter Sutcliffe can raise from the dead the poor victims he murdered then allow him his freedom, if not he should be cared for and kept in prison locked away until he dies naturally.
If he gets let out the begger will be given money from news papers to write his story or "Struggle", live off state benefits that he hasn't paid into (ok he did work as a driver so he might have!!) but not enough for the cost so far of keeping him alive!!!!
Totally agree with comments about Legal costs bonaza for these so called justice flag flyers perhaps if the system was if you win we will pay the set costs but if you loose you get nothing and have to pay us?
I bet these people would back down!
Life means life perhaps if the sentences meant more less folk would consider it ok to rape, murder, bully,steal sell drugs etc etc etc
matthew brannan, says...
12:40pm Thu 15 May 08
What is the point of giving this so called judgement if it doesn't mean that?
If Peter Sutcliffe can raise from the dead the poor victims he murdered then allow him his freedom, if not he should be cared for and kept in prison locked away until he dies naturally.
If he gets let out the begger will be given money from news papers to write his story or "Struggle", live off state benefits that he hasn't paid into (ok he did work as a driver so he might have!!) but not enough for the cost so far of keeping him alive!!!!
Totally agree with comments about Legal costs bonaza for these so called justice flag flyers perhaps if the system was if you win we will pay the set costs but if you loose you get nothing and have to pay us?
I bet these people would back down!
Life means life perhaps if the sentences meant more less folk would consider it ok to rape, murder, bully,steal sell drugs etc etc etc
matthew brannan, says...
12:40pm Thu 15 May 08
What is the point of giving this so called judgement if it doesn't mean that?
If Peter Sutcliffe can raise from the dead the poor victims he murdered then allow him his freedom, if not he should be cared for and kept in prison locked away until he dies naturally.
If he gets let out the begger will be given money from news papers to write his story or "Struggle", live off state benefits that he hasn't paid into (ok he did work as a driver so he might have!!) but not enough for the cost so far of keeping him alive!!!!
Totally agree with comments about Legal costs bonaza for these so called justice flag flyers perhaps if the system was if you win we will pay the set costs but if you loose you get nothing and have to pay us?
I bet these people would back down!
Life means life perhaps if the sentences meant more less folk would consider it ok to rape, murder, bully,steal sell drugs etc etc etc
hoskerg, Bradford says...
12:45pm Thu 15 May 08
hoskerg, Bradford says...
12:45pm Thu 15 May 08
hoskerg, Bradford says...
12:45pm Thu 15 May 08
pitypoorbradford, bradford says...
1:41pm Thu 15 May 08
pitypoorbradford, bradford says...
1:41pm Thu 15 May 08
pitypoorbradford, bradford says...
1:41pm Thu 15 May 08
albion, west riding says...
2:07pm Thu 15 May 08
pitypoorbradford wrote:According to the story, he has applied to be re-classed as sane and sent to prison.
The guy is not rotting in prison as some of you seem to think. He is in a secure mental hospital with a better lifestyle and facilities than many people who have done no wrong have. He is no longer a threat to society so the rotting in hell would be better served out of hospital!
albion, west riding says...
2:07pm Thu 15 May 08
pitypoorbradford wrote:According to the story, he has applied to be re-classed as sane and sent to prison.
The guy is not rotting in prison as some of you seem to think. He is in a secure mental hospital with a better lifestyle and facilities than many people who have done no wrong have. He is no longer a threat to society so the rotting in hell would be better served out of hospital!
albion, west riding says...
2:07pm Thu 15 May 08
pitypoorbradford wrote:According to the story, he has applied to be re-classed as sane and sent to prison.
The guy is not rotting in prison as some of you seem to think. He is in a secure mental hospital with a better lifestyle and facilities than many people who have done no wrong have. He is no longer a threat to society so the rotting in hell would be better served out of hospital!
pitypoorbradford, bradford says...
2:40pm Thu 15 May 08
albion wrote:Yes I know, this action has to take place before he can then apply for a release date. If he succeeds in his application to be declared sane the likelyhood is that he will shipped off to HM prison where a tarrif would have to be given as to how long he has to serve taking into account the time he has served at her majestys pleasure already. Plenty of precedents have already been set with murderers being released after serving only a few years of their sentence and with Sutcliffe having already served nearly 30 years I would guess his human rights would be breached if he wasn't given a release date in the next five years!
pitypoorbradford wrote: The guy is not rotting in prison as some of you seem to think. He is in a secure mental hospital with a better lifestyle and facilities than many people who have done no wrong have. He is no longer a threat to society so the rotting in hell would be better served out of hospital!According to the story, he has applied to be re-classed as sane and sent to prison.
pitypoorbradford, bradford says...
2:40pm Thu 15 May 08
albion wrote:Yes I know, this action has to take place before he can then apply for a release date. If he succeeds in his application to be declared sane the likelyhood is that he will shipped off to HM prison where a tarrif would have to be given as to how long he has to serve taking into account the time he has served at her majestys pleasure already. Plenty of precedents have already been set with murderers being released after serving only a few years of their sentence and with Sutcliffe having already served nearly 30 years I would guess his human rights would be breached if he wasn't given a release date in the next five years!
pitypoorbradford wrote: The guy is not rotting in prison as some of you seem to think. He is in a secure mental hospital with a better lifestyle and facilities than many people who have done no wrong have. He is no longer a threat to society so the rotting in hell would be better served out of hospital!According to the story, he has applied to be re-classed as sane and sent to prison.
pitypoorbradford, bradford says...
2:40pm Thu 15 May 08
albion wrote:Yes I know, this action has to take place before he can then apply for a release date. If he succeeds in his application to be declared sane the likelyhood is that he will shipped off to HM prison where a tarrif would have to be given as to how long he has to serve taking into account the time he has served at her majestys pleasure already. Plenty of precedents have already been set with murderers being released after serving only a few years of their sentence and with Sutcliffe having already served nearly 30 years I would guess his human rights would be breached if he wasn't given a release date in the next five years!
pitypoorbradford wrote: The guy is not rotting in prison as some of you seem to think. He is in a secure mental hospital with a better lifestyle and facilities than many people who have done no wrong have. He is no longer a threat to society so the rotting in hell would be better served out of hospital!According to the story, he has applied to be re-classed as sane and sent to prison.
sajenkin, Odsal says...
2:46pm Thu 15 May 08
sajenkin, Odsal says...
2:46pm Thu 15 May 08
sajenkin, Odsal says...
2:46pm Thu 15 May 08
sajenkin, Odsal says...
2:46pm Thu 15 May 08
sajenkin, Odsal says...
2:46pm Thu 15 May 08
sajenkin, Odsal says...
2:46pm Thu 15 May 08
exbradfordian, cumbria says...
3:11pm Thu 15 May 08
exbradfordian, cumbria says...
3:11pm Thu 15 May 08
exbradfordian, cumbria says...
3:11pm Thu 15 May 08
GEOFF, BRADFORD says...
4:04pm Thu 15 May 08
albion wrote:ABSOLUTLY RIGHT,THE ONLY WINNER OUT OF THIS WILL BE THE SOLICITORS.£££££££££
Saimo Chahal (his solicitor) is typical of the no principles legal practitioners who bleed this country of millions every year, it is likely he is encouraging this expensive charade to take more of your and my money. It has no chance of ever happening, and any right minded legal team would have told him to forget it long since.
£s
GEOFF, BRADFORD says...
4:04pm Thu 15 May 08
albion wrote:ABSOLUTLY RIGHT,THE ONLY WINNER OUT OF THIS WILL BE THE SOLICITORS.£££££££££
Saimo Chahal (his solicitor) is typical of the no principles legal practitioners who bleed this country of millions every year, it is likely he is encouraging this expensive charade to take more of your and my money. It has no chance of ever happening, and any right minded legal team would have told him to forget it long since.
£s
GEOFF, BRADFORD says...
4:04pm Thu 15 May 08
albion wrote:ABSOLUTLY RIGHT,THE ONLY WINNER OUT OF THIS WILL BE THE SOLICITORS.£££££££££
Saimo Chahal (his solicitor) is typical of the no principles legal practitioners who bleed this country of millions every year, it is likely he is encouraging this expensive charade to take more of your and my money. It has no chance of ever happening, and any right minded legal team would have told him to forget it long since.
£s
Mark, Haworth says...
4:51pm Thu 15 May 08
The partners will soon get the idea when new business fails to cross their threshold.
Mark, Haworth says...
4:51pm Thu 15 May 08
The partners will soon get the idea when new business fails to cross their threshold.
Mark, Haworth says...
4:51pm Thu 15 May 08
The partners will soon get the idea when new business fails to cross their threshold.
Mr Sensible, Bingley says...
5:17pm Thu 15 May 08
Mr Sensible, Bingley says...
5:17pm Thu 15 May 08
Mr Sensible, Bingley says...
5:17pm Thu 15 May 08
albion, west riding says...
6:05pm Thu 15 May 08
Mr Sensible wrote:I would add armed robbers to that list.
Isn't the problem here the Judge at the court hearing when he recommended that he served 30 years and hence his feeling if declared sane to apply to be released. If the Judge had passed the correct sentence and said life means life we would not have the expense that it will cost us. A conviction for murder should mean life in fact there should be a retrospective law brought in that all murders should be executed. There are so many locked up that it would meran there was no overcrowding in prisons.
albion, west riding says...
6:05pm Thu 15 May 08
Mr Sensible wrote:I would add armed robbers to that list.
Isn't the problem here the Judge at the court hearing when he recommended that he served 30 years and hence his feeling if declared sane to apply to be released. If the Judge had passed the correct sentence and said life means life we would not have the expense that it will cost us. A conviction for murder should mean life in fact there should be a retrospective law brought in that all murders should be executed. There are so many locked up that it would meran there was no overcrowding in prisons.
albion, west riding says...
6:05pm Thu 15 May 08
Mr Sensible wrote:I would add armed robbers to that list.
Isn't the problem here the Judge at the court hearing when he recommended that he served 30 years and hence his feeling if declared sane to apply to be released. If the Judge had passed the correct sentence and said life means life we would not have the expense that it will cost us. A conviction for murder should mean life in fact there should be a retrospective law brought in that all murders should be executed. There are so many locked up that it would meran there was no overcrowding in prisons.
LeagueJunkie!!!, Lost Again. says...
6:20pm Thu 15 May 08
LeagueJunkie!!!, Lost Again. says...
6:20pm Thu 15 May 08
LeagueJunkie!!!, Lost Again. says...
6:20pm Thu 15 May 08
driver, Shipley says...
6:30pm Thu 15 May 08
It doesn't matter. People need to feel safe from people like this. Leave him where he is.
Do we also need protection from the Human Rights Act?
driver, Shipley says...
6:30pm Thu 15 May 08
It doesn't matter. People need to feel safe from people like this. Leave him where he is.
Do we also need protection from the Human Rights Act?
driver, Shipley says...
6:30pm Thu 15 May 08
It doesn't matter. People need to feel safe from people like this. Leave him where he is.
Do we also need protection from the Human Rights Act?
born n bred, Bradford says...
6:44pm Thu 15 May 08
born n bred, Bradford says...
6:44pm Thu 15 May 08
born n bred, Bradford says...
6:44pm Thu 15 May 08
exbradfordian, cumbria says...
7:28pm Thu 15 May 08
exbradfordian, cumbria says...
7:28pm Thu 15 May 08
exbradfordian, cumbria says...
7:28pm Thu 15 May 08
GEOFF, BRADFORD says...
8:53pm Thu 15 May 08
exbradfordian wrote:HE PROBABALY GETS INCAPICITY BENEFIT AS WELL BECAUSE HE S IN HOSPITAL.
It will also be interesting to see if this animal gets legal aid and if so why? I think it is quite well known that he still owns his original house in Heaton (the last I heard his ex wife Sonia was has moved back there). This being the case, he should be made to sell it to pay for his own costs. After all if he was not well enough to look after himself he would have to do this to pay for a care home in his old age. And pigs might fly....
GEOFF, BRADFORD says...
8:53pm Thu 15 May 08
exbradfordian wrote:HE PROBABALY GETS INCAPICITY BENEFIT AS WELL BECAUSE HE S IN HOSPITAL.
It will also be interesting to see if this animal gets legal aid and if so why? I think it is quite well known that he still owns his original house in Heaton (the last I heard his ex wife Sonia was has moved back there). This being the case, he should be made to sell it to pay for his own costs. After all if he was not well enough to look after himself he would have to do this to pay for a care home in his old age. And pigs might fly....
GEOFF, BRADFORD says...
8:53pm Thu 15 May 08
exbradfordian wrote:HE PROBABALY GETS INCAPICITY BENEFIT AS WELL BECAUSE HE S IN HOSPITAL.
It will also be interesting to see if this animal gets legal aid and if so why? I think it is quite well known that he still owns his original house in Heaton (the last I heard his ex wife Sonia was has moved back there). This being the case, he should be made to sell it to pay for his own costs. After all if he was not well enough to look after himself he would have to do this to pay for a care home in his old age. And pigs might fly....
bradfordian, bradford says...
9:31pm Thu 15 May 08
bradfordian, bradford says...
9:31pm Thu 15 May 08
bradfordian, bradford says...
9:31pm Thu 15 May 08
bradfordian, bradford says...
9:31pm Thu 15 May 08
bradfordian, bradford says...
9:31pm Thu 15 May 08
bradfordian, bradford says...
9:31pm Thu 15 May 08
Maggie, New Zealand says...
5:14am Fri 16 May 08
Maggie, New Zealand says...
5:14am Fri 16 May 08
Maggie, New Zealand says...
5:14am Fri 16 May 08
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Divers_uk, Bingley says...
8:34am Thu 15 May 08