Olive Smelt - Yorkshire Ripper Victim
Peter Sutcliffe, the Yorkshire Ripper, attacked Olive Smelt on the 15th August 1975. Sutcliffe, after leaving his friend Trevor Birdsall in his car, attacked Olive Smelt with a hammer in Boothtown, Halifax. Sutcliffe inflicted serious head injuries.
Using a knife he also inflicted two slash wounds to her back after first disarranging her clothing.
Although the nature of the crime was very similar to the attempted murder of Anna Rogulskyj it was not specifically linked with it in police crime circulations, neither was it linked with the Ripper series until June 1978.
Detective Superintendent Holland of the Western Crime Area established an incident room at Halifax for the purpose of the inquiry.
In neither of these two crimes was any substantial evidence available about either the assailants or about any vehicle which might have been used.
