Richard McCann Explains Why He Has Forgiven Peter Sutcliffe and Refuses to Use the Term 'Yorkshire Ripper'
Key Highlights :
Richard McCann, the son of Wilma, the first victim of Peter Sutcliffe, has explained why he has forgiven the murderer and why he refuses to use the term 'Yorkshire Ripper'. Wilma McCann was just five years old when she was killed by Peter Sutcliffe in 1975. On Tuesday, Richard joined Good Morning Britain to discuss ITV drama The Long Shadow, which depicts the five-year hunt for Sutcliffe. The drama was created with input from the victims' families and purposely did not use the moniker 'Yorkshire Ripper'.
Explaining why it's important for Sutcliffe's real name to be used, Richard said: "It's a triggering word, if you think about what that word is trying to describe so for the family members it reminds them of the horror of what he did to the woman. But, also the bigger picture, media, police should not be using these monikers because it almost creates this picture of [murderers] that isn't reality. It creates this monster when actually he was a softly, spoken, mild, Bradford lorry driver so when they were presented with him, they were imagining something else. It's wrong to be using these monikers and it inspires other killers to follow in their footsteps."
When asked whether he "hates [Sutcliffe's] soul", Richard replied: "I did. Me and Sonia [Richard’s sister] plotted revenge. She was going to write to him, befriend him, go visit him and kill him. That was how we thought all those years ago. But, I've been on a bit of a journey for the past 48 years and I let go of the anger and the need for revenge in 2010 when I met Desmond Tutu who spoke about forgiveness. And I decided to let go of that and forgive him."
"Desmond Tutu’s words were, ‘You can't force a person to forgive another but when it occurs, it can change a situation’. I thought, I can't change my mom's death, I can't bring her back but, I can change how it impacts on me and I let it go. I didn't become his friend, incidentally, I used to think forgiveness was for the other person but it's not, forgiveness is for you to let go of the anger," he added.
Tragically, Richard's older sister, Sonia Newlands, who used her mother's maiden name, took her own life in the week before Christmas 2007. He admitted he found her death "more painful" than losing his mother.
Richard's story is a powerful reminder of the power of forgiveness and a testament to the strength of the human spirit. Richard's decision to forgive Sutcliffe and to refuse to use the term 'Yorkshire Ripper' is an act of courage and compassion that speaks volumes about his character. While it is understandable that many of the victims' families may not be able to forgive, Richard's decision to do so is a reminder that it is possible to move on from tragedy and find peace.
