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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2016/aug/12/yorkshire-ripper-to-be-sent-to-mainstream-prison
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| Tribunal rules Yorkshire Ripper can be sent to mainstream prison | Tribunal rules Yorkshire Ripper can be sent to mainstream prison |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The Yorkshire Ripper, Peter Sutcliffe, who murdered 13 women during the 1970s, may be released from Broadmoor, the secure psychiatric hospital, and sent to a mainstream prison after a tribunal concluded his mental illness was under control. | The Yorkshire Ripper, Peter Sutcliffe, who murdered 13 women during the 1970s, may be released from Broadmoor, the secure psychiatric hospital, and sent to a mainstream prison after a tribunal concluded his mental illness was under control. |
| Sutcliffe was given 20 life sentences when he was convicted in 1981 but in 1984 was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia and transferred to Broadmoor. | Sutcliffe was given 20 life sentences when he was convicted in 1981 but in 1984 was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia and transferred to Broadmoor. |
| But on Thursday, a mental health tribunal ruled he no longer required clinical treatment and therefore could be moved back into the mainstream prison system. He is serving a whole-life tariff and will die in jail. | But on Thursday, a mental health tribunal ruled he no longer required clinical treatment and therefore could be moved back into the mainstream prison system. He is serving a whole-life tariff and will die in jail. |
| Related: Police review claims of unsolved Yorkshire Ripper attacks | Related: Police review claims of unsolved Yorkshire Ripper attacks |
| The Ministry of Justice must now decide whether or not to approve the tribunal’s decision on Sutcliffe, who is now known as Peter Coonan. | The Ministry of Justice must now decide whether or not to approve the tribunal’s decision on Sutcliffe, who is now known as Peter Coonan. |
| A spokeswoman said: “Decisions over whether prisoners are to be sent back to prison from secure hospitals are based on clinical assessments made by independent medical staff. | A spokeswoman said: “Decisions over whether prisoners are to be sent back to prison from secure hospitals are based on clinical assessments made by independent medical staff. |
| “The high court ordered in 2010 that Peter Coonan should never be released. This was upheld by the court of appeal. Peter Coonan will remain locked up and will never be released for his evil crimes. Our thoughts are with Coonan’s victims and their families.” | “The high court ordered in 2010 that Peter Coonan should never be released. This was upheld by the court of appeal. Peter Coonan will remain locked up and will never be released for his evil crimes. Our thoughts are with Coonan’s victims and their families.” |
| Sutcliffe killed 13 women, many of whom were prostitutes, and injured seven more during six year in West Yorkshire between 1975 and 1980. He was finally captured by police after he was pulled over with a prostitute in his car while driving with false number plates. | |
| At his 1981 trial he pleaded not guilty on the grounds of diminished responsibility and claimed he heard the voice of God telling him to kill people. The judge dismissed this defence and insisted the case be heard by a jury, who found him guilty on all counts. Three years later he was moved to Broadmoor after psychiatrists decided he had paranoid schizophrenia. | At his 1981 trial he pleaded not guilty on the grounds of diminished responsibility and claimed he heard the voice of God telling him to kill people. The judge dismissed this defence and insisted the case be heard by a jury, who found him guilty on all counts. Three years later he was moved to Broadmoor after psychiatrists decided he had paranoid schizophrenia. |
| Sutcliffe applied to have a minimum term set to his sentence but in 2010 the high court ruled that he would spend the rest of his life in prison. | Sutcliffe applied to have a minimum term set to his sentence but in 2010 the high court ruled that he would spend the rest of his life in prison. |
| A psychiatric report submitted to the high court said that he had been given anti-psychotic medication since 1993 which had successfully contained his mental illness. | A psychiatric report submitted to the high court said that he had been given anti-psychotic medication since 1993 which had successfully contained his mental illness. |
| In December a report by medical experts recommended he be moved from psychiatric hospital to prison, according to the BBC. | In December a report by medical experts recommended he be moved from psychiatric hospital to prison, according to the BBC. |