Man admits to 'Wearside Jack' hoax

A man has admitted to being the Yorkshire Ripper hoaxer known as Wearside Jack at Leeds Crown Court today.

However, John Humble, 50, a former labourer from Sunderland, has denied intending to pervert the course of justice.

Mr Humble, who did not appear in court today, admitted sending two letters and an audio tape to police and a third letter to the 'Daily Mirror' during the investigation into the Ripper murders in the late 1970s.

However, he pleaded not guilty to four charges of perverting the course of justice.

At the pre-trial hearing, Mr Humble's defence counsel David Taylor told the court: "A defence statement has now been drafted whereby the defence concedes that he wrote the letters and in fact made the tape.

"The issue now is not one of whether it actually was him… it is solely the question of intent."

Judge James Stewart adjourned the case until March 20, when Mr Humble will go on trial. He also lifted reporting restrictions in the case.

The hoax letters and tape were sent as the inquiry into the Ripper murders intensified. They convinced West Yorkshire police that their suspect was from Sunderland, causing the investigation to be shifted to that area. During that time, the real ripper - Peter Sutcliffe, who was from Bradford - killed another three women.

Sutcliffe, now 59, was eventually arrested in 1981 and jailed for life for the murder of 13 women. He was later transferred to Broadmoor secure hospital.

(KMcA/GB)