House searched in Ripper hoax probe
West Yorkshire Police on Tuesday night arrested John Humble, 49, on suspicion of perverting the course of justice following a breakthrough in the hunt for the hoaxer behind the notorious Yorkshire Ripper tape.
He was being quizzed by detectives investigating the sending of a tape and letters 27 years ago, which fooled police into believing the Yorkshire Ripper was from the Castletown area of Sunderland. It is thought the arrest came after police recovered the letters - which were believed to have been lost - and unearthed new DNA evidence.
The letters and tapes, from a man with a strong Sunderland accent who claimed to have carried out the murders, taunted officers and diverted resources from the investigation - as Peter Sutcliffe continued to kill three more times.
A spokesman for West Yorkshire Police refused to confirm reports the arrest has arisen out of a “cold case review” by the force’s new Homicide and Major Enquiry Team.
The squad has been using DNA techniques to check for breakthroughs in cases. It is understood the envelopes the letters came in may still exist, meaning they could provide a DNA profile of the hoaxer through saliva traces.
The spokesman would only confirm they were searching a two-bedroom house in the Ford area of Sunderland in connection with the inquiry.
Yorkshire Ripper Peter Sutcliffe, now 59, was jailed for life in 1981 for the murder of 13 women.
In the late 1970s and 1980 his murders brought terror across the north of England and there was huge pressure on police.
The inquiry - the biggest manhunt Britain had ever seen - was led down a blind alley by the three letters and a tape sent by a man dubbed Wearside Jack due to his accent.
