The untold story of the woman who escaped the Yorkshire Ripper | Stories of Our Times

In the summer of 1979, Ruth Shaw was a student in Bradford, walking alone one night when she encountered Peter Sutcliff - the serial killer the papers had nicknamed the Yorkshire Ripper. But her encounter wasn’t recorded by police. 44 years later, this is her untold story.
This podcast contains scenes of a graphic nature.
Ruth’s story was first told to Michael Bilton in his book ‘Wicked Beyond Belief; The Hunt for the Yorkshire Ripper’ which is now being serialised on ITV on Mondays at 2100.
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[@mamaduck9370]

Thank you for the respectful way the broadcasters spoke about all victims and survivors of that evil man.

[@suetownsend1656]

An excellent programme. Thank you Ruth for sharing your experiences and reflections on them.

[@starwood213]

Ruths story was very compelling and it is shocking to think The Police missed a very good opportunity to catch Sutcliffe. I am sure there are probably many more stories of women who had a barrow escape from Sutcliffe.

[@thinkingallowed7042]

Thought provoking and moving. Ruth sounds like a thoughtful and smart lady.

[@garrybaldy327]

Michael Bilton's book is superb, a lot more gripping than The Long Shadow. Ruth is a bit off with her geography though - Lumb Lane (Bradford's then red light area) was less than a mile from the university, not 3 miles. Ironically, the current red light area is now just a few streets from the main campus.

[@nottooherbal]

Was Ruth’s experience covered by newspapers? Did she go to any papers with her story ? The other woman who survived actually being hit on her head with a hammer was also ignored .

[@crose7412]

@richardward-jackson8712 Was that Olive Smelt?

[@nottooherbal]

@@crose7412 Tracy Brown I was thinking of but there’s also a Leeds art student who was hammered on the head and stabbed.

[@italianstallion9170]

she sold her story to Channel 5 and the tabloids this is not 'untold.'

[@nottooherbal]

@@italianstallion9170 i meant at the time .

[@jacobfield4848]

There were 2 men involved.

were looking for a meek, mild man with a normal job, they interviewed this man 9 times...!

[@pattymelt-go3fv]

I firmly believe that some people in the police were sabotaging the investigation because of the inflationary pressures at the time.
The overtime opportunities were very attractive.

[@lindathompson3616]

😊

[@lindathompson3616]

l have seen the woman who he was with when they caught him she was a very lucky lady

[@Ksins1]

.
Gasoline and diesel fuel will be very expensive for the next decade. There are no oil reserves in the USA. Biden spent everything, and world oil prices are getting more expensive. You need to buy gasoline and diesel fuel while it is cheap. Buying up fuel!!!

[@cathal4921]

hello, russian troll :)

[@italianstallion9170]

the Yorkshire Ripper agrees fuel has become expensive he used to get 50 miles to the gallon including the hours spent with the engine idling waiting for his victims.

[@garrybaldy327]

Thank you, Donald. But shouldn't you be concentrating on your trial and re-election campaign.

[@markrl75]

At the end the Yorkshire Ripper was hunting for victims in a Rover P6 3500S V8. He would have got very poor fuel mileage kerb crawling around Yorkshire's red light areas in that old gas guzzler the cost must have eaten into Sonia's housekeeping money.