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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Ripper hoaxer loses appeal bid | Ripper hoaxer loses appeal bid |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| The man who deceived police by claiming to be the Yorkshire Ripper has lost his appeal against his eight-year sentence for perverting the course of justice. | |
| John Humble sent three letters and an audio tape to detectives in the 1970s. | John Humble sent three letters and an audio tape to detectives in the 1970s. |
| He was dubbed Wearside Jack after police resources were diverted to his home city of Sunderland while Peter Sutcliffe committed three more murders. | He was dubbed Wearside Jack after police resources were diverted to his home city of Sunderland while Peter Sutcliffe committed three more murders. |
| Mr Justice Calvert-Smith said the jail term was severe but could not be called "wrong in principle or excessive". | Mr Justice Calvert-Smith said the jail term was severe but could not be called "wrong in principle or excessive". |
| Humble, 50, of Flodden Road, Sunderland, was arrested in 2005 after police matched his DNA, taken after a minor offence, against saliva on an envelope sent to Ripper squad detectives in 1979. | Humble, 50, of Flodden Road, Sunderland, was arrested in 2005 after police matched his DNA, taken after a minor offence, against saliva on an envelope sent to Ripper squad detectives in 1979. |
| Before he was jailed in March, Leeds Crown Court heard that he had a fascination with the original Jack the Ripper, who terrorised the streets of east London in 1888. | Before he was jailed in March, Leeds Crown Court heard that he had a fascination with the original Jack the Ripper, who terrorised the streets of east London in 1888. |
| The Yorkshire Ripper, Peter Sutcliffe, was jailed in 1981 and given 20 life sentences for killing 13 women and attempting to kill seven more. | The Yorkshire Ripper, Peter Sutcliffe, was jailed in 1981 and given 20 life sentences for killing 13 women and attempting to kill seven more. |
| 'Chronic alcoholic' | 'Chronic alcoholic' |
| Dismissing Humble's appeal, Mr Justice Calvert-Smith said the case was "uniquely serious and had possibly fatal consequences". | Dismissing Humble's appeal, Mr Justice Calvert-Smith said the case was "uniquely serious and had possibly fatal consequences". |
| He said: "The offences called for a very severe sentence." | He said: "The offences called for a very severe sentence." |
| In a case so serious the "issues of personal mitigation and passage of time lose much of their influence". | In a case so serious the "issues of personal mitigation and passage of time lose much of their influence". |
| Humble's counsel David Taylor told the judges that at the time of the first letter he was 22 and already a chronic alcoholic. | Humble's counsel David Taylor told the judges that at the time of the first letter he was 22 and already a chronic alcoholic. |
| He would drink from the moment he woke up and during the day and night until he passed out. | He would drink from the moment he woke up and during the day and night until he passed out. |
| Mr Taylor said that Humble, who had been an alcoholic for 27 years and had tried to commit suicide, had difficulty explaining why he had written the letters. | Mr Taylor said that Humble, who had been an alcoholic for 27 years and had tried to commit suicide, had difficulty explaining why he had written the letters. |
| He told the court: "He has been a model prisoner since he has been in custody. | He told the court: "He has been a model prisoner since he has been in custody. |
| "Ironically the fact that he has been in custody probably saved his life." | "Ironically the fact that he has been in custody probably saved his life." |