'Ripper' challenge to whole life tariff fails

LONDON – “Yorkshire Ripper” Peter Sutcliffe has failed in his attempt to go to Britain’s highest court to challenge an order …

LONDON – “Yorkshire Ripper” Peter Sutcliffe has failed in his attempt to go to Britain’s highest court to challenge an order that he can never be released.

The serial killer’s latest attempt to have his “whole life” tariff overturned was rejected yesterday by Court of Appeal judges. He had wanted to take his case to the Supreme Court.

The Lord Chief Justice, Lord Judge, announced that the application had been rejected.

Lord Judge said the Court of Appeal had refused to certify that a point of general public importance was involved in the appeal.

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A High Court judge ruled last year that the serial killer of 13 women must serve a “whole life” tariff.

Sutcliffe, now known as Peter Coonan, had his appeal against that order rejected by the Lord Chief Justice, Mr Justice Calvert-Smith and Mr Justice Griffith Williams at the Court of Appeal in January.

The former lorry driver, from Bradford, was convicted in 1981. Now 64, Sutcliffe received 20 life terms for the murder of 13 women and the attempted murder of others in Yorkshire and Greater Manchester. – (PA)