Yorkshire Ripper Peter Sutcliffe ‘was left two plots of land by female admirer’

Yorkshire Ripper’s nest egg: Peter Sutcliffe ‘was left two plots of land by female admirer’… as family demands ex-wife reveals monster’s will

  • Mick Sutcliffe said an inmate claims to have seen title deeds to land in Scotland
  • A woman called Pauline is said to have given the land to Peter Sutcliffe years ago 
  • Details of the killer’s will have been kept secret from his family by his ex-wife

Yorkshire Ripper Peter Sutcliffe might have had a secret nest egg in the form of two plots of land given to him by a female admirer, his brother revealed yesterday.

Mick Sutcliffe said a fellow inmate of his brother claims to have seen title deeds to land in Scotland under the Ripper’s name, apparently earmarked for a housing development.

But details of the serial killer’s will have been kept secret from his family by his remarried ex-wife Sonia Woodward. Sutcliffe died in November, aged 74, after contracting Covid-19.

Yorkshire Ripper Peter Sutcliffe, pictured with wife Sonia might have had a secret nest egg in the form of two plots of land given to him by a female admirer

Mr Sutcliffe said Mrs Woodward, who was said to have held power of attorney over the Ripper’s affairs, failed to share details of the funeral. He also believes his brother might have wanted to pass on something sentimental to him.

Mrs Woodward, 70, still owns and spends much of her time at the £279,000 detached house in Bradford where she was living with Sutcliffe when he was arrested.

Days ago she was seen waiting at a bus stop near the house – the first time she has been spotted in public since Sutcliffe’s death. Mr Sutcliffe, 70, said he was told about the land in a letter sent a week ago by a friend of his brother at HMP Frankland, Co Durham.

A woman called Pauline is said to have given the land to Sutcliffe years ago when he was in Broadmoor with gangland killer Ronnie Kray, who is said to have offered to buy the land from him. The Mail cannot verify the authenticity of the letter and no further details are known about the land in Scotland.

The inmate, who Mr Sutcliffe asked not to be named, wrote: ‘As for the two plots of land up in Scotland, it looked like plots to build on as the map was set out like a housing estate and the title deeds were in Peter’s original name Sutcliffe.

‘So it must have been a long time ago when Pauline bought it for him. He even told me a story about one of the Kray twins wanting to buy the land off him.’

Days ago Sonia Woodward was seen waiting at a bus stop near the house – the first time she has been spotted in public since Sutcliffe's death

Days ago Sonia Woodward was seen waiting at a bus stop near the house – the first time she has been spotted in public since Sutcliffe’s death

Mr Sutcliffe said: ‘[The letter] was the first I’d heard about this as Peter never told me this himself. His friend said he knows it’s right because he’d seen the deeds.’

The killer’s brother said speculation surrounding the estate is down to Sonia Woodward’s failure to communicate with the family.

Mr Sutcliffe, a grandfather, who lives in Bingley, West Yorkshire, said: ‘I have not spoken to Sonia in 40 years, but I would like to now. I suspect she knows a lot more than I can even begin to think of questions to ask. She has been so secretive all this time that I wonder what she knows.

‘It was only when Peter became ill that I realised I had no control whatsoever and everything had to go through Sonia.

‘I had to find out from the news that he had Covid-19 and even when he died. Up until that point I would ring and speak to Peter every Monday. Sonia hadn’t even spoken to Peter for five years.’

Mr Sutcliffe said he knows details of the last will and testament will eventually be made public, but would like to speak to his former sister-in-law about ‘what is happening to his belongings’.

He added: ‘I would like to know if there was anything Peter wanted me to have. I know what he did is monstrous, but he was also my brother and I should have rights.

‘I don’t think Peter would have wanted this.’

The Mail has been unable to contact Mrs Woodward for comment.

Sutcliffe was transferred to high-security Frankland from Broadmoor in 2016 after he was deemed to no longer be mentally ill. He was given 20 life sentences in 1981 for murdering 13 women and attempting to murder another seven.