The Yorkshire Ripper, whose lawyers are reported to be making a fresh bid to take him closer to freedom, wants to be transferred to a mainstream prison nearer to Bradford so he can be closer to his family, his brother revealed today.

Mick Sutcliffe told the Telegraph & Argus the notorious killer had not told him about any new findings from doctors which allegedly claim he is fit to be eligible for a fixed jail tariff and, theoretically, eligible for parole.

Mick, who speaks to his brother by phone every week, said: “He has never mentioned anything to me.”

He stressed that the Ripper knows he will never be released. “He’s never coming out, he knows that,” he said.

Mick has not seen his brother for 15 years although he frequently urges him to visit him.

He says Broadmoor is too far to travel.

On his brother’s mental health, Mick said: “I haven’t seen him for years. He sounds as normal as anyone else but he seemed normal when he was committing his crimes – so you can’t tell can you? “He has never appeared any different. He just seems the same – but I am not a doctor.

“I hope they move him to Wakefield or Liverpool so I can see him regularly.

“It is disgusting what he has done, but he is still my brother.

“He is well and he has lost weight. A few weeks ago he said he’d like to move nearer. He still asks about his old mates in Bradford when he rings.”

A former police officer who worked on Yorkshire Ripper cases said today he was “staggered” at the suggestion convicted serial killer Peter Sutcliffe could eventually be released.

Doctors at top security hospital Broadmoor have reportedly told lawyers for Sutcliffe – who murdered 13 women and tried to kill seven others in the 1970s and 80s – that he was no longer dangerous.

If an independent tribunal agrees to classify him as low-risk, he could be moved to a medium security prison and eventually released back into society.

But Chris Gregg, a retired Detective Chief Superintendent with West Yorkshire Police, who worked on four of the Ripper murders, as well as high-profile cases such as the infamous hoax caller, Wearside Jack, said surviving victims would be “aghast” at the thought.

He said: “Like many people, I was staggered at the suggestion that Peter Sutcliffe could be considered for release. It is an affront to common sense if that does ever happen.

“He killed 13 people and attempted to kill seven others. If that doesn’t warrant serving a whole life behind bars I don’t know what does. The only thing we should be discussing is the victims whose lives have been left in ruins.

“There are some names synonymous with evil and Peter Sutcliffe is one of them.”

Sutcliffe, from Heaton, Bradford, was jailed in 1981 for his murder spree across Yorkshire and in Manchester. He was given 20 life sentences and was told by the judge that he would serve a minimum of 30 years.

He began his sentence in prison but three years later was diagnosed with schizophrenia and transferred to Broadmoor.

e-mail: jenny.loweth @telegraphandargus.co.uk

He will never go free - Brown

Prime Minister Gordon Brown has told why he believes Sutcliffe will never be set free.

Speaking yesterday, Mr Brown (pictured) said: “I do not think he will ever be released. Any prisoner held under the mental health act will only be downgraded – as is suggested may happen – if the mental health tribunal, which is independent, decide it is safe to do so.

“We are not aware of any tribunal being asked for or arranged in relation to this case. Obviously the tribunal make these decisions, but in my view it is very unlikely any change to the sentence given out will happen.”

A Ministry of Justice spokesman said: “It is now for the High Court to set the tariffs in respect of mandatory life sentences imposed before December 18, 2003.

“The decision on setting the length of the minimum term (tariff) is entirely a matter for the High Court.

“The release of all lifers who have served their minimum term of imprisonment (their tariff) is a matter for the Parole Board.”

Last year Sutcliffe’s lawyer, Saimo Chahal, claimed the Home Office disregarded his human rights because they failed to formally fix a tariff for his sentence. Miss Chahal, who specialises in civil liberties and social welfare as a partner at London-based Bindmans & Partners, also aimed to get Sutcliffe back into the prison system.

In June, 2008, Justice Secretary Jack Straw pledged that Sutcliffe would never be released.

He said: “It is a matter for the High Court to determine the tariff in Mr Sutcliffe’s case. If the court fixes a whole-life tariff, then his case cannot be referred to the Parole Board.

“For as long as he remains lawfully detained in hospital under Mental Health Act powers, and meets the Mental Health Act criteria for detention, his release cannot be considered by the Parole Board, even in the event that he received a determinate tariff by the High Court.”