Teresa Sykes - Yorkshire Ripper Victim
On the 5th November 1980 Teresa Sykes was attacked on a footpath in Huddersfield by Sutcliffe who hit her over the head with a hammer. Fortunately for her, the attack was interrupted by the man with whom she was living who had heard her screams.
Although she suffered severe head injuries she survived the assault. This crime was investigated by Detective Superintendent Hickley from an incident room at Huddersfield and was not publicly linked with the Ripper series. Many detectives involved in the case had by now reached private conclusions about which were and which were not Ripper cases and there was a strong body of professional opinion that Sykes was in the series. Information gathered about the assailant in this case included the fact that he was alleged to have had a gingery coloured beard and moustache.
