Yorkshire Ripper drama Long Shadow tells story of how Kettering student's killer was caught

A new ITV drama telling the story of the hunt for The Yorkshire Ripper – Peter Sutcliffe – the killer of a Kettering university student, has begun its seven-episode run.

Barbara Leach, a 20-year-old university student in Bradford, was Sutcliffe's 11th victim bludgeoned and stabbed to death in a brutal late-night attack.

The former Henry Gotch Primary School and Southfield Girls' School pupil had just been about to start the third year of her social psychology degree.

She was walking back to her student digs from a night out on Sunday, September 2, 1979, when Sutcliffe attacked her.

Over seven episodes, The Long Shadow depicts the five-year hunt for the serial killer, focusing on the lives of his victims and officers at the heart of the police investigation.

A spokesman for ITV and ITVX said: “With the victims, their families and the survivors at the heart of this series, The Long Shadow brings a new perspective to a well-documented story.

"Meticulously researched and drawing upon the most extensive archive of the investigation, comprising of hundreds of case files, interview transcripts and police reports, the series is also based on Wicked Beyond Belief, Michael Bilton’s critically acclaimed account of the case, published by William Collins.”

Award-winning actor Toby Jones will play DCS Dennis Hoban, who initially led the enquiry, with David Morrissey taking the role of DCS George Oldfield, who took on the investigation.

The cast also includes Jill Halfpenny, Lee Ingleby, Alexa Davies, Chloe Harris, Daniel Mays, Stephen Tompkinson, Jack Deam, Michael McElhatton, Adam Long, Ruth Madeley, Dorothy Atkinson, Rob James-Collier, Charley Webb, Steven Waddington and Kris Hitchen.

The murders began in 1975 when mum-of-four Wilma McCann was hit with a hammer and stabbed.

Barbara had lived in Hazel Road, Kettering before moving to Bradford to study social psychology, working at a handbag manufacturer's in Desborough between terms.

One evening after a night out with other students in Bradford she went for a walk and didn't return home.

Her body was later found after she had been attacked with a hammer and stabbed.

Barbara's father David, who died in 2014, previously told the Northants Telegraph: “Although we carried on and lived our lives, I do not think a day passes when we do not think of her, and sometimes speak of her fondly. We seem to feel her loss more acutely as we get older.”

West Yorkshire Police's investigation into the murders was tragically misled by hoaxer John Humble, who tricked police into believing the killer was someone dubbed 'Wearside Jack' because of his Sunderland accent.

A tape recording where he claimed to be the killer was believed by detectives to be genuine and they redirected resources to the north-east.

When Humble was prosecuted it was claimed the delays left Sutcliffe free to murder three more women – including Barbara.

Sutcliffe was arrested in 1981 when his car was stopped in a red light area of Sheffield for having false number plates.

Despite his 24-hour-long confession to the killings, Sutcliffe denied the murders when he appeared in court but was jailed for 20 life terms in May 1981 for 13 murders and seven attempted murders.

Sutcliffe died on Friday, November 13, 2020 aged 74, in hospital after testing positive for Covid-19.

Barbara's mother Beryl, a retired teacher who moved to New Zealand, previously told the Northants Telegraph she would get no peace until he [Sutcliffe] was dead.

She said: “There’s only one thing really and that’s to hear he has died.”

Barbara’s funeral was held at St Peter & St Paul Church in Kettering on September 24, 1979.

Sutcliffe’s victims were:

- Wilma McCann, 26

- Emily Jackson, 42

- Irene Richardson, 28

- Patricia Atkinson, 32

- Jayne MacDonald, 16

- Jean Jordan, 20

- Yvonne Pearson, 21

- Helen Rytka, 18

- Vera Millward, 40

- Josephine Whitaker, 19

- Barbara Leach, 20

- Marguerite Walls, 47

- Jacqueline Hill, 20

The Long Shadow airs at 9pm on ITV every Monday and available to watch on ITVX.