The Ripper Hoaxer: Wearside Jack

This is the remarkable inside story of the biggest and most controversial hoax in criminal history. In the late 1970’s a series of letters and a tape were sent to detectives trying to catch serial killer Peter Sutcliffe – The Yorkshire Ripper. The police were led on a two-year-long chase for the wrong man, allowing Sutcliffe to murder three more women.

The Ripper Hoaxer tells the story of Humble’s dramatic hoax, the HMET’s modern day hunt for the perpetrator of a 25-year-old crime, and exclusively broadcasts Humble’s taped interviews with the police. It also meets Beryl Leech, whose daughter Barbara was one of Sutcliffe’s victims. Humble’s trial made Beryl re-live the pain she went through when Barbara was killed, and confront her hatred of the man whose actions diverted police attention from the hunt for Sutcliffe.

1. Calender - Length 2 mins
News report on the Yorkshire Ripper Hoaxer John Humble in court.

2. Ripper Hoaxer - Length 59 mins
This tells the story of Humble’s dramatic hoax and how he came to being caught some 25 years later.It broadcasts Humble’s taped interviews with the police under caution saying why he did what he did. Length: 59 mins

3. Hunt For Wearside Jack - Length 48 mins
This tells the story of the man who hoaxed the biggest manhunt in british criminal history, the man who pretended to be the Yorkshire Ripper.And the battle to unmask the Hoaxer.

4. Hoaxer - Length 24 mins
Investigation into how the Hoaxer led police on an 18 month manhunt for the Ripper.Interviews with people who were questioned at the time as regards being the Ripper.

5. Hoaxer 2 - Length 24 mins
Documentary regarding whether the unsolved murder in 1975 of Joan Harrison was the result of the Yorkshire Ripper Peter Sutcliffe.Even though Sutcliffe admitting killing 13 women, he always denied this murder even though there was staggering similarities to the others.

Investigative Journalist Patrick Lavelle pursues this case and also the trail for the then unknown Yorkshire Ripper Hoaxer.

6. Letters To The Ripper - Length 55 mins
Three women tell their stories on why, after the Yorkshire Ripper Peter Sutcliffe was convicted of 13 murders, they began writing to him regularly, building up relationships.Interestingly, one of the women was a handwriting expert employed by the police investigating the hoax letters sent.

They show the letters received of which one mentions other crimes Sutcliffe said about and also plays a tape recording from the Ripper.