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Wearside Jack jailed for 8 years

21/ 3/2006

THE notorious Yorkshire Ripper hoaxer known as Wearside Jack was jailed for eight years today.

John Humble, 50, of Sunderland, had admitted four counts of perverting the course of justice at Leeds Crown Court.

The charges related to three letters and a tape Humble sent in the late 1970s in which he claimed to be the Ripper and taunted detectives.

Leeds Crown Court heard the hoax sent the Ripper inquiry in the wrong direction.

Three more women were murdered after the letters and tapes moved the focus of the police investigation to Sunderland.

When the real killer Peter Sutcliffe was caught, he told police: "While ever that was going on, I was safe."

Judge Norman Jones QC said today: "The least that could be said was these victims would have stood a better chance of not being attacked had these police resources been directed in West Yorkshire."

The court heard that Humble was a "hopeless alcoholic" who had attempted suicide after realising what he had done.

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