Who was Peter Sutcliffe, the serial killer in The Long Shadow?
The Long Shadow tells the story of the five-year hunt for Sutcliffe.
New ITV drama The Long Shadow tells the harrowing true story of the five year manhunt for the serial killer who, at one time, was known only as the Yorkshire Ripper.
We now know that the individual behind the murders was in fact Peter Sutcliffe, who was caught in 1981 and given 20 life sentences.
The series, which features an all-star cast, focuses primarily on the victims and the police officers trying to catch the murderer. However, what do we know about Sutcliffe now, including about his childhood, his marriage and his death?
Read on for everything you need to know about Peter Sutcliffe.
Who was Peter Sutcliffe?
Peter Sutcliffe was the notorious British serial killer who came to be known in press reports as the Yorkshire Ripper.
He was born in Bingley in 1946 to parents John and Kathleen. His father was reportedly an alcoholic who was domestically abusive.
Sutcliffe is said to have been isolated at school, and to have developed an obsession with voyeurism, including spying on prostitutes.
After leaving school at age 15 he had a series of menial jobs, including working as a gravedigger and at the Baird Television factory. He subsequently became an HGV driver.
Sutcliffe met his future wife, Sonia Szurma, in 1967 when she was 16 and the two were married in August 1974.
Sutcliffe is understood to have committed his first assault in 1969, attacking a prostitute. Police visited his home the next day, but they informed him the woman did not want to press charges.
He committed further assaults in 1975, before committing his first murder in October of that year, killing 28-year old mother of four Wilma McCann.
He would go on to commit many more murders and attacks that sparked an extensive manhunt, which lasted for five years.
He was finally caught and arrested in 1981 in Sheffield and was later found guilty of the murders of 13 women and the attempted murder of seven others.
It is believed he had previously been questioned by authorities nine times in relation to the murders.
How did Peter Sutcliffe die?
After being found guilty of the murder of 13 women and the attempted murder of seven more, Sutcliffe was given 20 consecutive life sentences.
He began his sentence at HM Prison Parkhurst in 1981, but was later diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia and transferred to Broadmoor Hospital in 1984, where he spent the next three decades.
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Sonia Szurma obtained a divorce from Sutcliffe in July 1994. He was eventually moved from Broadmoor to HMP Frankland in County Durham in 2016.
Sutcliffe died in hospital in November 2020. He is reported to have had a number of underlying health conditions, including diabetes. It was also reported that he refused to shield from Covid-19 in prison.
The Long Shadow will air on ITV1 and ITVX from 25th September 2023. Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on.
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Authors
James Hibbs is a Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering programmes across both streaming platforms and linear channels. He previously worked in PR, first for a B2B agency and subsequently for international TV production company Fremantle. He possesses a BA in English and Theatre Studies and an NCTJ Level 5 Diploma in Journalism.
