Sutcliffe

I have a personal connection to the Yorkshire Ripper case. His last victim, Jackie Hill, lived in the same group of flats, and at the time of her murder I was probably less than 50m away.
The debate over whether he should be allowed to appeal for parole seems based on the idea that he would eventually get out. The subsequent furor over James Venables raises the pressure even higher.

I always felt that the Ripper trial was something that was done to please the public. He was judged sane to stand trial, but my definition of sanity does not encompass what he did. However we tried him as a sane man, and decided that he was insane later. With that background he is entitled to ask for a parole hearing. Justice should be seen to be blind in these things. He should be allowed his hearing - and never, ever let out. This is surely a case where life must mean life. But even monsters are entitled to a due legal process.