The son of the Yorkshire Ripper's second victim has defended the new ITV drama 'The Long Shadow', saying it finally gives a voice to the victims and their families. Neil Jackson, whose mother Emily was murdered by Peter Sutcliffe in 1976, hit back after the killer's brother Carl accused the series of cashing in on the murders. 'It's the families who are suffering and it's about time our voice was heard,' Neil told the Mirror.
Emily Jackson, 42, was killed in January 1976, three months after Sutcliffe's first murder. The drama's first episode follows her final days, with actress Katherine Kelly portraying her. Neil praised Kelly's performance, saying 'She's an amazing actress' and noted the resemblance. However, he took issue with the depiction of his mother's entry into sex work, which he said wrongly suggested it was her idea. 'It wasn't her idea to go on the game – it was dad who forced her,' he said.
Neil recalled that his father Sydney was often violent and would hit his mother. He said the rows were always about money, and that his father's mood worsened after Emily's death. 'I think they've painted him a little bit too nice,' Neil added. He was 17 when police broke the news of his mother's murder, and both he and his father were initially under suspicion.
After Emily's death, the family was torn apart: Neil's younger sister went to live with an aunt, his brother stayed with their father, and Neil joined the army two months later. He described how the murder devastated his family, saying, 'As I always say about Sutcliffe, he didn't just kill mam, he killed the whole family.'
Despite his criticisms, Neil commended the series overall for focusing on the victims and their stories. 'Some of it was horrible to watch but it was amazing and it did take me back in time,' he said. The seven-part drama, which began airing on Monday, details the police investigation into Sutcliffe's 13 murders between 1975 and 1980.
