Yorkshire Ripper Peter Sutcliffe, 74, tests positive for Covid in prison after returning from hospital where he spent five nights with ‘heart issues’
Yorkshire Ripper Peter Sutcliffe (pictured) was rushed to University Hospital of North Durham after suffering a suspected heart attack
Yorkshire Ripper Peter Sutcliffe has tested positive for coronavirus after leaving hospital where he spent five nights with ‘heart issues’.
The 74-year-old, who murdered at least 13 women in the 70s and 80s, returned to top security HMP Frankland, Co Durham, on Tuesday after his spell in hospital.
However, prison doctors yesterday diagnosed Sutcliffe with the deadly illness and he has been moved into isolation for monitoring.
The killer, who is serving a life sentence for his heinous crimes, is currently stable.
According to a source who spoke to the Sun: ‘He started showing symptoms on Thursday.
‘The results were turned around quickly because of the danger of him spreading it.
‘The worry for him is that he ticks so many of the danger categories for coronavirus.
‘He is already in ill health, he is overweight and he is old. If things go downhill for him, it could be very, very serious.’
Sutcliffe is known to be terrified of the potential risks of catching coronavirus and thought he had the illness when taken to hospital last week.
The killer first alerted warders at HMP Frankland in County Durham about his chest pains on Wednesday.
He was reportedly taken to the prison’s hospital wing and then was transferred to the University Hospital of North Durham.
He has previously complained of health issues, including breathlessness, and claims he is suffering from long-term coronavirus symptoms. ‘Difficulty getting my breath, could barely sleep,’ he reportedly said last week.
‘I hope I can breathe and get some sleep when I hit the sack tonight or I’ll have to report myself sick tomorrow.’ The mass murderer, who is said to be terrified of Covid-19, has turned away visitors throughout the pandemic.
In recent years he has suffered from angina, diabetes and near-blindness following an attack from a fellow inmate.
He said: ‘My eyesight is getting worse – I’m bumping into people. I’ve been completely blind in one eye for 20 years and the other one is deteriorating at a fair old rate.
Sutcliffe, 74, who is serving life for his horrific crimes, has suffered from angina, diabetes and near-blindness following an attack from a fellow inmate, in recent years
The Ministry of Justice said they would not comment on individual prisoners. Sutcliffe, who also attempted to murder seven other women, was jailed in 1981 for a killing spree that took place between 1975 and 1980.
He has previously spoken of his anger at being handcuffed during a hospital visit.
‘It’s absolutely stupid,’ he said.
‘Where was I going to go in a hospital gown? And how could I get out of the hospital? It was like a maze, a massive place. I wouldn’t even attempt it any way.
‘I’ve no intention of doing a runner … just this stupid category A rules they’ve got.’
Three years after he was jailed, Sutcliffe was moved to Broadmoor Hospital after he was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia.
He was transferred to HMP Frankland in 2016 after psychiatrists said he was stable enough for jail.