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.

Mandatory Credit: Photo by REX (591129a) Peter Sutcliffe PETER SUTCLIFFE, THE YORKSHIRE RIPPER Undated image of Yorkshire Ripper, Peter Sutcliffe, Now 59, who is serving life for the murders of 13 women in West Yorkshire between 1975 and 1981. Today, 'the Byford Report', a secret report released by the Home Office after nearly 25 years, concluded that he probably committed more attacks, murders and attempted murders than he was convicted of. — Sutcliffe had spent more than 30 years in Broadmoor psychiatric hospital before being moved to HMP Frankland (Picture: REX)

A composite of twelve of the 13 victims of Yorkshire Ripper, Peter Sutcliffe. The Yorkshire Ripper probably committed more crimes than the 13 murders and seven attempted murders for which he was convicted, a report which has been secret for nearly 25 years revealed today. Victims are: (top row, left to right) Wilma McCann, Emily Jackson, Irene Richardson, Patricia Atkinson; (middle row, left to right) Jayne McDonald, Jean Jordan, Yvonne Pearson, Helen Rytka; (bottom row, left to right) Vera Millward, Josephine Whitaker, Barbara Leach, Jacqueline Hill. . The Yorkshire Ripper probably committed more crimes than the 13 murders and seven attempted murders for which he was convicted, a report which has been secret for nearly 25 years revealed today. See PA story POLICE Ripper. Photo credit should read: PA. — 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.

Rex Features Ltd. do not claim any Copyright or License of this image. Mandatory Credit: Photo by REX (1207756d) Peter Sutcliffe Peter Sutcliffe - Yorkshire Ripper, Britain Yorkshire Ripper Peter Sutcliffe, now 64, who is serving life for the murders of 13 women in West Yorkshire between 1975 and 1981 and attempting to murder seven others. The High Court will decide this morning whether he can be considered for parole and will ever be released. He received 20 life sentences and is detained at Broadmoor High Security Psychatric Hospital in Berkshire but was never formally given a tariff or a minimum term. — The Yorkshire Ripper already had a number of health conditions including obesity and diabetes (Picture: REX)

Police searching the ground behind the home of Peter Sutcliffe in Bradford following his arrest. 9th January 1981. (Photo by Andrew Varley/Mirrorpix/Getty Images) — 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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