Emily Jackson - Yorkshire Ripper Victim

Emily Jackson, with her husband Sydney's approval, became a sex worker just before Christmas 1975. Sydney & Emily Jackson lived on the outskirts of Morley and had three children. Emily's dip into prostitution was only supposed to be a short term arrangement to get through some financial difficulties.

The Jackson's were owners of a Commer van. The van was usually parked in the corner of the Gaiety Public House, which was in the heart of Chapeltown. Emily Jackson took her customers back to the van whilst Sydney waited in the pub.

On the evening of Tuesday, 20th January 1976, the Commer van was parked in the Gaiety pub car park as usual. Emily didn't return to the pub by closing time so Sydney took a taxi home, leaving the Commer van in the car park so Emily could drive home.

At just after 8 am the next day, 21st January 1976, Emily’s mutilated body was found in a derelict cul de sac off Roundhay Road by a worker on early shift. It was less than half a mile from the Gaiety Public House.

The police found a boot impression on the right thigh of Emily Jackson. The boot was later identified as aDunlop Warwick size 7 or 8.

The murder of Emily Jackson was almost instantly matched to the murder of Wilma McCann.

The following message was sent out from Millgarth police station – the headquarters of Leeds CID:

FROM THE ACC NUMBER 2 AREA WEST YORKS METRO POLICE TO ALL DIVS [DIVISIONS] WEST YORKS, ALL SURROUNDING FORCES, POLICE GAZETTE AND POLICE REPORTS. THE BODY OF EMILY MONICA JACKSON, 42 YEARS, HOME ADDRESS 18 BACK GREEN, CHURWELL, WAS FOUND IN A DERELICT BUILDING IN MANOR STREET, LEEDS 7, AT 8.05 AM TODAY 21ST JANUARY 1976. IT IS KNOWN THAT THE WOMAN HAS RECENTLY BEEN AN ACTIVE PROSTITUTE IN THE CHAPELTOWN AREA OF LEEDS … THE DECEASED SUFFERED SEVERE INJURIES TO THE CHEST, ABDOMEN, AND THROAT, POSSIBLY CAUSED BY AN INSTRUMENT SIMILAR TO A PHILIPS SCREWDRIVER (CROSS PATTERN TYPE). ASSAILANT MAY BE HEAVILY BLOODSTAINED AND IS BELIEVED TO HAVE BEEN WEARING HEAVY RIBBED RUBBER BOOTS OR HEAVY WELLINGTON BOOTS. THOUGH THERE HAS BEEN NO SEXUAL INTERFERENCE TO THE VAGINA THE BRA WAS MOVED TO POSITION ABOVE THE DRESS AND THERE ARE SEVERAL INDICATIONS THAT THE PERSON RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS CRIME MAY ALSO HAVE BEEN RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DEATH OF THE PROSTITUTE WILMA MCCANN AT LEEDS ON 29/30TH OCTOBER 1975. MOTIVE APPEARS TO BE HATRED OF PROSTITUTES … A SEARCH OF RECORDS FOR PERSONS CONVICTED OF SERIOUS ATTACKS UPON PROSTITUTES WOULD BE APPRECIATED …

Sutcliffe's Confession

Peter Sutcliffe described the murder of Emily in detail in his confession: (* Spelling mistakes & grammar are left as per the original statements).

Sutcliffe said:

"I wanted to do what I'd got in mind as soon as possible. I remember turning on the ignition again so that the red warning light came on and pretended that the car would not start I said I would have to lift up the bonnet to sort it out. I asked her if she would give me a hand. We both got out of the car I lifted up the bonnet of the car. I had picked up a hammer which I had put near my seat for that purpose.

"I told her I could not see properly without a torch. She offered to use her cigarette lighter to shine under the bonnet. She was holding her lighter like this I took a couple of steps back and I hit her over the head with the hammer I think I hit her twice she fell down onto the road.
"I took hold of her hands or wrists and pulled her into a yard which had rubbish in I then made sure she was dead by taking a screwdriver and stabbing her repeatedly. I pulled her dress up and her bra before I stabbed her to make it easier. To be truthfull I pulled her cloths up in order to satisfy some sort of sexual revenge on her as on reflection I had done on McCANN.

I stabbed her frenziedly without thought with a Phillips screwdriver all over her body. I had taken the screwdriver with the hammer in the well of the driving seat. I was seething with hate for her."