Netflix to release new Yorkshire Ripper documentary: everything we know so far

Netflix is set to release a new documentary about The Yorkshire Ripper, one of the UK's most infamous serial killers.

Between 1975 and 1981 Peter Sutcliffe murdered 13 women across Yorkshire and badly injured several others.

Sutcliffe's crimes sent shockwaves around the world, and now the streaming giant is set to release a documentary series exploring the murders.

Who is the Yorkshire Ripper?

Raw TV, the production firm working on the series, are reportedly racing to finish the project before Sutcliffe dies.

The killer, who is now 72, is currently being held in County Durham's Frankland Prison and is suffering with liver and heart problems as well as diabetes.

Sutcliffe was jailed at the Old Bailey in May 1981 and ordered to serve 20 life sentences.

The majority of Sutcliffe's victims were sex workers who he targeted for their vulnerability. The police were criticised for the time it took for them to apprehend the murderer, who was finally caught during a routine police check of a car with false plates in 1981.

Bosses at Netflix are hoping their new Yorkshire Ripper documentary will follow on from the success of other recent true crime documentaries like The Ted Bundy Tapes and The Disappearance of Madeline McCann.

What will the series focus on?

Producers have reportedly visited relatives of some of Sutcliffe's victims as well as some attack survivors to get a clear picture of events and explore the terrible impact of his crimes.

A relative of one of the victims told The Mirror that "they are speaking to a lot of people and ­going back over everything, treating it very seriously and also like a new ­investigation into him.”

The documentary will also explore crimes that Sutcliffe is suspected to have committed. A source told The Mirror that the documentary "will try to throw up fresh clues about crimes Sutcliffe has never been convicted of."

In 2016, West Yorkshire Police launched a cold case review into crimes that Sutcliffe was suspected of, but no further charges were levied.

The Netflix series will follow the BBC’s own recent three-part documentary The Yorkshire Ripper Files: A Very British Crime Story, which is still available to watch on the BBC's iPlayer.

When will the Netflix documentary be released?

There aren’t currently any details on an exact release date for the new Netflix series, but if the popularity of recent true crime documentaries on the streaming service is anything to go by, it’s likely to be a big hit.