The son of a Yorkshire Ripper victim has expressed profound anger that the serial killer's substantial estate did not provide compensation to the families of the murdered women. Neil Jackson, whose mother Emily was Peter Sutcliffe's second victim, has spoken exclusively about his ongoing trauma and the injustice he feels regarding the financial legacy left by one of Britain's most notorious criminals.
A Lifetime of Grief and Injustice
Neil Jackson, now 67, visited his mother's unmarked grave in Leeds' Cottingley Cemetery to mark the 50th anniversary of her brutal murder. Emily Jackson, aged 42, was snatched from the streets of Leeds in January 1976 before being subjected to a horrific attack that would leave her son's life forever shattered.
"Everything that were left over should go to the victims," Neil stated firmly as he stood at the graveside, repeating his long-held position about any assets Sutcliffe possessed at the time of his death. "When Sutcliffe killed mam, they didn't just kill mam - he killed the whole family."
The Marital Home Controversy
Central to Neil's sense of injustice is the Bradford property that Sutcliffe owned with his wife Sonia. The home, purchased for £16,000 in 1977, stood empty for decades while Sutcliffe served his life sentence and was eventually valued at approximately £300,000.
Following Sutcliffe's death from Covid in prison during 2020, Sonia Sutcliffe was declared the sole owner of the property. The couple had married in 1974, one year before Sutcliffe committed his first murder, and officially divorced in 1994, eight years after his imprisonment.
Neil believes this asset, along with any other elements of Sutcliffe's estate, should have been directed toward compensating the victims' families rather than passing to his former spouse.
A Family Destroyed
The trauma of losing his mother has defined Neil Jackson's life since that fateful January evening when he was just 17 years old. "It knocked the family for six," he recalled, describing how police arrived at their home to deliver the devastating news.
With his father unable to face identifying the body, the responsibility fell to the teenage Neil, who could only nod in confirmation when shown his mother's remains. "It was very, very upsetting, especially at that age," he remembered. "I found it difficult to speak. That's a nightmare I don't ever want to repeat."
Daily Reminders and Rituals
Neil surrounds himself with photographs of his mother and speaks to her daily, maintaining a connection that was violently severed half a century ago. "She was the best mum in the world," he said affectionately. "Jolly and with a heart of gold."
His regular pilgrimages to the cemetery bring both comfort and pain, particularly on the anniversary of her murder. This year, he brought several bouquets including carnations - his mother's favourite flowers - while sharing his hope to eventually be buried nearby. "It would give me some comfort to know we're back together," he explained.
The Murder That Changed Everything
Emily Jackson's death occurred after she left her husband at the Gaiety pub in Leeds. Financial pressures had led her to sex work, and around 7pm on January 20th 1976, she entered Sutcliffe's car agreeing to a £5 transaction.
According to Sutcliffe's later confession, he drove her to derelict land where he pretended his car wouldn't start. As Emily held a lighter to provide illumination while he examined the engine, Sutcliffe stepped back and struck her twice with a hammer before stabbing her 52 times.
Her mutilated body was discovered the following day, beginning a nightmare for her family that would never truly end.
A Home Transformed by Tragedy
Dr Jane Carter Woodrow, a close family friend who co-wrote the book 'After Evil' with Neil, joined him at the graveside and recalled his descriptions of their home after the murder. "The heart of the family had been ripped out the night his mum was murdered," she said, "and their home turned cold and dark."
Neil remembered the immediate aftermath with painful clarity: "It really did go dark in that house after she died. She was like the backbone of the family." His father kept curtains closed for days in mourning while the heating remained off, creating an atmosphere of profound loss that permeated their lives.
The teenage Neil faced the impossible task of informing his younger siblings when they returned from school that fateful day. When they asked "Where's mummy?" he could only reply: "Summat's happened. Now get up the table and I'll get you your teas." The children were sent to stay with relatives that evening, never to live together as a complete family again.
Seeking Closure and Recognition
Five decades after his mother's murder, Neil is finally arranging for a proper memorial at her gravesite. A family feud has left the plot without a headstone all these years, adding to his distress during visits. "It's always upsetting," he admitted. "So I am having a memorial made for her. I've got the money now."
The planned memorial will feature a heart design along with Emily's name and references to her son, grandson, and great-grandson. Neil hopes it will be completed by March or April, providing long-overdue recognition for a woman whose life was brutally cut short.
A Killer's Comfortable End
Neil expressed particular bitterness about Sutcliffe's treatment during his imprisonment and the circumstances of his death. "It was a big relief when he died," he stated frankly. "He conned the Government, the prison service out of millions. He was crying insane when he wasn't."
He contrasted Sutcliffe's prison conditions with his own working life: "He got better fed and watered than I did working 6 days a week in the building trade." This disparity, combined with what he sees as the misdirection of Sutcliffe's estate, compounds his sense that justice remains incomplete for the victims and their families.
As Neil left the cemetery after his emotional visit, he offered his mother a quiet promise: "Mam, I will see you in a couple of months." His ongoing pilgrimage to her graveside continues a ritual of remembrance that has spanned half a century, while his call for Sutcliffe's estate to benefit victims represents an unresolved quest for justice that persists long after the killer's death.
