Serial Killer to UK: What’s the Hold Up?

Independent – The serial killer Peter Sutcliffe, who was given 20 life sentences in 1981 for murdering 13 women – he was known as the Yorkshire Ripper because he mutilated his victims’ bodies with a sharpened screwdriver – has applied to the High Court for a ruling on how much longer he must serve in jail…

The original 30 years is up next year. News of his application to the court has outraged the survivors and families of those killed. Why did the judge not set a minimum sentence? Because it was not compulsory to do so until the law changed in 2003. Before then the judge made a recommendation, which was amended or endorsed by the Lord Chief Justice (who in Sutcliffe’s case recommended the minimum be increased to 35 years) and could be altered again by the Home Secretary.