Netflix has just released a new documentary series about The Yorkshire Ripper. “The Ripper” looks at the hunt for the notorious killer, the impact on victims and how the crimes affected the country. But the huge manhunt was greatly set back by a hoax – another man who was claiming to be the Yorkshire Ripper to police.
This hoax story is said to have cost the case £1million and three innocent lives. It’s been called one of the most notorious hoaxes in criminal history. The man in question taunted the police, making regular contact with them and saying they would never find him. This took investigators down a rabbit hole, making them believe the person they were looking for was from somewhere else entirely and allowed the real killer to avoid justice nine times.