Peter Sutcliffe dead: Wakefield teenager almost became the Yorkshire Ripper's first victim after attack on street

As it is confirmed that Peter Sutcliffe, the serial killer known as the Yorkshire Ripper, has died, it was a Wakefield teenager who almost became the Ripper's first victim.
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Peter Sutcliffe was caught in 1981, and convicted of killing at least 13 women across West Yorkshire.

But in 2004, the Wakefield Express reported on an attack on a teenager which was believed to be the work of the Ripper.

The report read:

Peter Sutcliffe, pictured on his wedding day, was caught in 1981, and convicted of killing at least 13 women across West Yorkshire. But in 2004, the Wakefield Express reported on an attack on a teenager which was believed to be the work of the Ripper.Peter Sutcliffe, pictured on his wedding day, was caught in 1981, and convicted of killing at least 13 women across West Yorkshire. But in 2004, the Wakefield Express reported on an attack on a teenager which was believed to be the work of the Ripper.
Peter Sutcliffe, pictured on his wedding day, was caught in 1981, and convicted of killing at least 13 women across West Yorkshire. But in 2004, the Wakefield Express reported on an attack on a teenager which was believed to be the work of the Ripper.
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ON A foggy winter night in 1972 a monster stalked the streets of Wakefield.

Peter Sutcliffe was eventually caught in 1981 after being pulled over for a routine check.

But throughout the 1970s, the Bradford married man killed at least 13 women throughout West Yorkshire.

But police believe an attack on a 19-year-old typist on Westgate, Wakefield, three years before he first killed, was the work of the Ripper himself.

Peter Sutcliffe was caught in 1981, and convicted of killing at least 13 women across West Yorkshire. But in 2004, the Wakefield Express reported on an attack on a teenager which was believed to be the work of the Ripper.Peter Sutcliffe was caught in 1981, and convicted of killing at least 13 women across West Yorkshire. But in 2004, the Wakefield Express reported on an attack on a teenager which was believed to be the work of the Ripper.
Peter Sutcliffe was caught in 1981, and convicted of killing at least 13 women across West Yorkshire. But in 2004, the Wakefield Express reported on an attack on a teenager which was believed to be the work of the Ripper.
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It wasn’t until years later when the woman saw a photofit of the Yorkshire Ripper on television and cast her mind back to those dreadful events of December 29, 1972, that she realised how lucky she had been.

The woman, who was interviewed by a researcher for award-winning documentary maker Michael Bilton, said: “I was sure I had been attacked by the Yorkshire Ripper, but no one has ever confirmed it. I remember it like it was yesterday.”

After she made her initial complaint to the police, she never heard from them again.

She had been walking down Westgate after leaving a pub called Dolly Grey’s at around 10.30pm.

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As she made her way home, she became aware she was being followed. Looking behind her, she saw a man with staring eyes, dark, longish hair and a beard.

She carried on walking, but fear began to pump through her heart. As she approached the Swan With Two Necks, where she knew people would be drinking up, she almost went in but she carried on walking, thinking they would laugh at her.

Quickening her footsteps, she walked faster past the dark passageways running between the terraced houses.

As she reached the row of houses where she lived, she was suddenly grabbed from behind.

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She started to scream loudly but her attacker covered her mouth with his hands, telling her to shut up several times.

She carried on trying to scream but he hit her hard to the back of her head and threw her against a wall where she grazed her face.

A prison officer who lived opposite heard the commotion and ran out of his house to help.

On seeing him the man turned and fled, and although the officer tried to follow, it was too late. He had escaped.

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The teenager went straight home and dug out a picture of Cat Stevens, because she said her attacker looked a lot like him.

The next day she went to Wood Street police station and helped build up a photofit of her attacker.

Police now suspect her attacker may well have been Peter Sutcliffe because of the similarities to his other attacks.

Sutcliffe used a hammer to strike his victims to the back of the head, before stabbing them with his screwdriver.

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West Yorkshire Police took more than five years to snare the brutal killer. The Ripper squad interviewed Sutcliffe on two occasions and set him free.

Terror gripped the women of Yorkshire, each killing driving fear into the heart of the county, wondering where this evil monster would strike next.