Yorkshire Ripper: Inquest into Peter Sutcliffe's death awaiting report from prison

A coroner has not yet received the prison ombudsman's report into the death of serial killer Peter Sutcliffe, who died from a combination of Covid-19, diabetes and heart disease in November 2020.

The assistant senior coroner for County Durham and Darlington, Crispin Oliver, held a brief hearing at Crook Civic Centre to give an update into how the inquiry was progressing.

Sutcliffe, dubbed the Yorkshire Ripper, murdered 13 women and attacked more terrifying Northern England in the late 1970s until he was caught in 1980.

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Mr Oliver said the Frankland jail life prisoner changed his surname by deed poll in 2001 and for the purposes of the inquest will be known as Peter William Coonan, previously known as Peter William Sutcliffe.

Updating the record about the progression of the case, the coroner said: "I can confirm that the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman's report is still pending. I am awaiting that."

The coroner said there will be another hearing to assess progress on March 31.

Sutcliffe, 74, had a number of underlying health conditions which left him almost blind and needing to use a wheelchair.

He had also had a pacemaker fitted. Sutcliffe died from Covid-19, diabetes mellitus and ischemic heart disease on November 13.

It was reported that he had refused treatment for coronavirus, having been ill for some weeks.