UK & World News
- 7 November 2012, 15:54
Jimmy Savile 'Was Yorkshire Ripper Suspect'
Jimmy Savile was questioned by detectives investigating the Yorkshire Ripper murder, West Yorkshire Police confirmed on Wednesday.
A senior officer who worked on the inquiry revealed the disgraced DJ was a suspect in the notorious case more than 30 years ago on Tuesday.
John Stainthorpe, a former detective with West Yorkshire Police, said the Leeds-born presenter was approached after an anonymous tip-off.
Mr Stainthorpe, who spent 40 years in the force, told ITV's Calendar News: "When the Ripper was really active, one of the suspects put forward by the public was, in fact, Jimmy Savile.
"Obviously, it was not he, but he was interviewed along with many others."
He said the person who reported Savile was "aiming in the right direction".
"Child perverts soon become child killers," he added.
The police force confirmed Savile may have been questioned, but did not reveal when he was interviewed or why.
A spokesman said: "As with thousands of other men in Leeds at the time, he may at some time have been approached by detectives on the investigation.
"What is without doubt is that Savile was clearly not the Yorkshire Ripper."
Peter Sutcliffe was convicted of murdering 13 women in 1981 and sentenced to life imprisonment. He is held at Broadmoor and has been told he will never be freed.
Sutcliffe has jumped to the defence of Savile, who he says befriended him during regular visits to the high security hospital.
Dismissing claims the late DJ abused around 300 victims over six decades, he said those making allegations were "jumping on the bandwagon".
Savile, who died a year ago aged 84, is now believed to be one of the UK's most prolific child abusers.
It comes after he was linked to fresh allegations of abuse at a care home in north Wales.
The Sun newspaper claimed boys were molested for his "entertainment" at Bryn Estyn in the 1970s.
Lawyers representing the disgraced DJ's alleged victims have said they have notified his estate executors, the BBC and three hospitals that they plan to launch damage claims against them.
The former presenter's £4m estate has already been frozen by executors NatWest.
what do you think?
stevegs850
cannot get my head around any of this,i am convinced its all about money,money for the lawers/victims and head hunting for the people who originaly told the truth and fell on deaf ears.this is slowly becoming a uk emarrasing nightmare
stevegs850
money,money,money thats what its all about.
Rob Shaw
rubbish
Para999Tom
why ?
Rob Shaw
Because there is copious amounts of evidence including camera footage, evidence from people that have witnessed it but not abused and therefore won't get any money for saying it, one of his FAMILY MEMBERS came forward and accused him of molestation. Yes there could well be a few that are making it up for money but the majority of claims are true. You are a idiot if you think otherwise
Para999Tom
calling people idiots seem to be a favorite saying of yours. everyone is entitled to their opinion about all of this whether you agree with it or not.
Dave Harrison
Para999. Quite right. Those without a valid argument resort to insults. What makes their opinions carry more weight than yours is beyond me so they stand on ther sidelines slagging people off.
Bazil Brush
jimmy the ripper.... does not have the same ring to it
Mark Hussey
Was this not the force behind the hillbrough cover up .clueless bandwagon jumpers
Gordon Wright
The force that dealt with Hillsborough was South Yorkshire. West Yorkshire police were in charge of the Ripper enquiry.
Richard Gould
Next - Jimmy Savile is suspected of invading Poland and starting World War II! - Grow up people, stop trying to attribute every bad deed to JS just for the sensational news headlines. These irresponsible reportings are hindering the investigations of the 300+ allegations and turning those investigations into a joke, with many people questioning their validity.
Dave Harrison
Richard. At last the voice of reason amongst so much hysteria.
hollywoodbowden
This is all boring now even if he was Alive and went to court he would have only got a fine anyway this is England remember
Lorgar Aurelian
It was boring at the start as well.
ali baba
So he was a suspect in the yorkshire ripper investigation. You know what let's give him a job on the BBC to work with kids.
gypsy56
So will Sutcliffe name those charities who accept money from him, while he's locked up in Broadmoor. Didn't they look to see where a multiple sex offender and killer was obtaining money. As for that police comment abusers soon turn to killers- come on, JS was supposed to have been 'active' for 60 yrs - what is their definition of 'soon'!
Gordon Wright
This is getting ridiculous. They will be blaming him for Global Warming next. I mean, all those cigars, think of the carbon emissions.....................
Dan Jones
My cat disappeared years ago,I'm now sure jimmy savile had taken him,rot in hell savile,rip Mr tibbles
Robbie369P .
I'm sorry, Mr Tibbles should have come forward at the time.
Russell6730
Since my first comment at 7:37 which I considered read worthy was censored Iwill make another............I bet Savile is somewhere laughing his head off
nick
Don't tell me he was suspected of being the Jack the Ripper as well?
john
Jimmy Savile burnt down the Reichstag.
hollywoodbowden
Your opinion is irrelevant
john
You're an ill elephant.
john
Which is also irrevelant, fnnaar, fnnaar.
rachel henshaw
When are we going to blame jimmy for the extinction of the dinosaurs? The death of Jesus Christ? The melting of the solar ice caps? GET OVER IT HE'S DEAD!!!!
Juliecrumpton1234
...and isn't it a good job he is too! Please tell me you don't actualy feel sorry for him? ....don't trivialise what he did with stupid pointless comments!
movvi
To be fair, he is being blamed for paedophilia and little else and his victims are still alive...
movvi
Perhaps the decades of systematic abuse at Bryn Estyn will now be taken seriously and a THIRD investigation will now be carried out - properly this time. I won't hold my breath.
Louisa Gieldon
I think this time the truth may emerge Movvi. It's getting harder to ignore. Lets hope so.
movvi
Yes, Louisa - for all his wrongdoings and not that it excuses the incompetence of previous "investigations", I think this Savile twerp will have served to open a lot of eyes. About the only good thing to come of this whole mess!
Louisa Gieldon
To be fair, many hundreds of men were questioned.
shirley sutton
10:25pm on 6/11/2012
Yorkshire police at time hadn't got a clue they were convinced ripper was a Geordie
Londliveengland 66
5:01am on 7/11/2012
Not a Geordie, a mackem, that's someone from Sunderland. The police did not have a clue who he was, pot luck and the wrong plates on the rippers car finally caught the lunatic
shirley sutton
4:28pm on 7/11/2012
Yet all of a sudden after all these years and numerous stories on the case jimmy saville was a suspect - beyond belief
Dave Harrison
10:14am on 8/11/2012
Shirley. It would be more newsworthy if it said he wasn't a suspect. The Yorkshire police hadn't a clue what they were doing and everyone was in the frame. I had a couple of mates interviewed because they travelled to yorkshire once in a blue moon..