Detective Chief Inspector James Dunkerley

At the beginning of 2016 Detective Chief Inspector James Dunkerley was leading a little-publicised investigation into a number of unsolved murders and assaults that may have been committed by Peter Sutcliffe, the Yorkshire Ripper.

The investigation was called "Operation Painthall".

Inquiries found rumours that Peter Sutcliffe may have travelled to Malmo in Sweden and that the dates of his travel coincided with the brutal murder of Teresa Thorling.

The rumoured travel dates were 30th August 1980 and 1st September 1980. These dates covered the date Teresa Thorling was killed.

After rumours broke DCI Dunkerley contacted his Swedish counterpart to say that he was absolutely certain that Sutcliffe had never been in Sweden.The telex that Operation Painthall had originally written about described nothing more than a rumour. As far as he was concerned, the case was closed.