A LITTLE BOY’S RIPPER HORROR

Police woke up five-year-old Richard in his bed and told him his mother had gone to heaven

MOVING STORY: Richard McCann, whose mother was the first victim of  Yorkshire Ripper Peter Sutcliffe, gives one of his inspirational talks in front of a picture of himself as a boy

WE sat looking out of the window of the Hilton Hotel in Leeds, a short bus ride from the park where his mother was found mutilated by the Yorkshire Ripper.

I could see that Richard McCann was lost in the nightmare from the past that haunted him as he told me how he woke at 3am one morning to find his mum, Wilma, missing from their rundown council flat in one of the toughest parts of the city. It was October 30, 1975, and he was just five years old.

Leaving his three sisters sleeping, this frightened little boy went out into the darkness and trudged the dangerous, empty city streets of Chapeltown, looking for her. When he got back home, he fell asleep and the next thing he knew, he woke up to four police officers standing around his bed. They told him that his mother had gone to heaven.

His mum, Wilma McCann had become the first victim of Ripper Peter Sutcliffe’s 13 victims, now to be the subject of a new TV drama, called ‘The Long Shadow’, starring Katharine Kelly and a host of other stars, screened next week.

I sadly listened as Richard told me what followed: Foster parents; time in a care home and then a deprived childhood living with his violent and drunken father.

 “I lost my self-esteem, I was rock bottom,” he told me. “I felt worthless. Terry.” No bloody wonder, eh? I didn’t blame him. It was an upsetting meeting for me, in many ways. One of those times when it was difficult to know what to say. But I soon discovered that I was sitting opposite a man who was to become one of the most inspirational people I had ever met. And I mean it to this day.

 For Richard’s fatal roll of life’s dice did not end there. The path he set himself to lead a normal life led him to join the Army. He was convinced the discipline and physical demands of the military would keep him on the straight and narrow. But some bright spark showed him a picture of his mother’s killer Sutcliffe in a magazine … and he exploded.

 He attacked his colleagues and went on a wrecking spree, unable to control himself. Finally, he was kicked out of the army on psychological grounds and rolled into the world of drugs to take away his mental pain. Eventually he was jailed.

 When he was freed, the curse went on and in 1997, just as his home was about to be repossessed, he lost the plot again. In deep despair he made a suicide pact with his sister, which thankfully never came off. Instead, he decided to write a book about his life and picking himself up from the floor. It was called ‘About A Boy’ and was an instant hit, selling over 400,000 copies and translated in countries around the world. The boy made good.

 The book wasn’t the end of his new life though. He made it his mission to help crime victims and businesses to overcome their challenges. As he sat telling me of his new dreams, his eyes literally blazed with excitement. I had expected that this guy with such a tragic background, would be a bit of a rough diamond. In fact, he was inspirational, articulate, well spoken, smart and as sharp as a dart. I liked him.

 He was creating the I-CanSpeak Academy, his planned foundation to help people, groups and businesspeople improve their public speaking, confidence, and communication skills. Break down the barriers. Stand up, brush yourself down and start all over again. It was all about motivation.

 I had been approached to write a fiction book with this gutsy guy if we got on. And we did. At least I hope so. Together we walked the streets of Leeds; sent each other emails, met up for lunches and rang with ideas for plots.

 Months later, we came up with a synopsis and two sample chapters for a book called The Raid, based around a raid on the Royal Armouries in Leeds, and the theft of a priceless medieval sword from the Crusades, made of meteorite. It was on display as part of a world tour and a gang from a local gym hatched an audacious plan to snatch it for a private collector.

 Sadly, life moved on and we couldn’t sell the package. We went our different ways, keeping in touch for a while.

 Now ‘The Long Shadow’ TV series is about to explode on our TV screens, but I see that the story will start with the second victim, Emily Jackson and not Wilma. Perhaps Richard and his sisters found it all too upsetting.

 It was originally to be called ‘The Yorkshire Ripper’ but the media nickname for Sutcliffe (Ripper) was thought to be insensitive and the title was changed. I believe this is because the makers later considered the sensitivities of the families and others who were involved in the time.

 For me though, the chilling and upsetting story still begins with Richard trawling those streets looking for his mum, Wilma. What a guy. And we think we have problems.

*****

Smirk as deadly as a dirk

HOW sad, if true, and I have no reason to doubt it, that Scotland’s First Minister Humza Yousaf smirked when Scottish soccer fans booed during God Save The King at the opening of the big match at Hampden Park.

 Video footage also showed him grinning as the boos got louder and drowned out our national anthem. Puerile, eh? And a disgrace to their ancestors who fought and died alongside our fathers on the sands of Dunkirk and El Alamein.

 What a Z list politician this plonker turns out to be, too thick to realise that he has a duty to show respect to our Head of State and any visiting nation’s football team and supporters. The sooner this man who desperately seeks to wreck our United Kingdom disappears off the scene, the better. He does not speak for all Scottish people, the majority of whom are our friends.

*****

Locked in battle

“WE live in an era where everything that defines us is under attack, said Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, this week. What wise words. And they start you thinking.

 Thinking about the hatred, envy and anger shown by many workers in Blighty, particularly the younger generation, over the 8.5% Triple Lock. Anyone would think that State pensioners, who can no longer work, are going to be rich, when in fact they will be lucky to get £11.80p a week.

 Most will get less, some a bit more perhaps. Just about enough to pay their council tax increase, buy a decent tube of toothpaste and a Mars Bar. Never mind energy costs, food and everything else. That’s not rich, is it? Especially when any little bit of extra cash to make ends meet, is now taxed.

Oh, and don’t forget their TV licenses too, or shall we not let them have TV?

 The Angry Brigade conveniently dismiss the fact that an 8.5 per cent rise to someone on £40,000 a year is 65 quid a week. Some difference, eh? Never mind the £70,000 a year train drivers and their pay increases. The attitude by many people now (step forward William Wealthy Hague) who speaks as if State Pensions are a social services’ benefit in the welfare bill, is that you should be means tested to get one.

 The former Minister for Pensions, no less, ignores the fact that a generation who paid their taxes and national insurance were told by Government that the State pension was something to look forward to. Instead, they feel they are now the leper colony of the UK today. I know, because I have many friends who are trying to exist just on just the State pension.

 The row bubbles on into the pages of the press, making many State pensioners fearful of their future and feel like a meaningless drag on society. They hear young people and MPs claim they are all well off (to be fair some are because of inheritances or selling businesses); and hog the property market. They also bask in the sun in exotic places. And of course, had it easy all their lives, not like today. They dismiss the fact that most pensioners today went through interest rates of 18 per cent.

 Our State pensioners were told by financial advisers and Ministers back in the day, that if you had a little private pension on top, you could look forward to the cottage by the sea and roses around the front door as a thank you for working all your life for the country. They were told to put it in their calculations. It wasn’t a crime like some people seem to think. It was a right.

 Many believe that all pensioners are raking off benefits; don’t have to pay tax and should not have increases they are not working for. One wonders what these angry people want to do with 12 million elderly who are stealing their taxes? Some protagonists have even said on Twitter: ‘Time for them to push up the daisies! They’re past their sell-by dates!’ I guess they want to help them along. And I think some would.

 They’re blind to the misery they are causing by creating a climate of fear for State pensioners perhaps unable to go out; work or heat their homes but listening to them on the news ranting about what to do with them.

 There is no understanding that the elderly are often frail, sick, infirm, afraid or just weak. Many State pensioners with private pensions are struggling as well. Sunak’s sneaky thresholds’ tax pinches money from them and they won’t qualify for universal credit.

 Newspapers are guilty too, including the Daily Express. Headlines scream about a ‘Huge Boost for Pensioners', ‘Bumper payout for old folk’, and ‘Pensions Rocket’. Stoking it all up. In reality, it won’t make a damn bit of difference to them … they will shiver on.

 Of course, the cost is high; but so is the cost of illegal African males coming over for free hotels; the Foreign Aid Budget and Wokeism. What do the protagonists want to do with all these people? Let them freeze? Starve? And why should the State pension make them feel like single mums with 8 kids from three fathers, claiming benefits?

 Most of us Drone readers have company or private pensions but the majority of the over 65s are struggling as the cost-of-living rockets and they get one of the lowest pensions in Europe. Many are ashamed to try and claim benefits sitting in front of a teenager in a shirt and tie, filling in a means test form.

 Surely as a country we must strive to look after our elderly and let them have some sort of life other than exist day to day, just as we must strive to make the Health Service work, build better roads and train links and provide housing for homeless families. As I write, the student loans debt in the UK pushes towards £500bn … but it is, what it is. We must have it, even though most degrees are worthless to real life jobs.

 The legal living wage in the UK is £10.52p an hour. State Pensioners get around £5.32p an hour to live on. By wanting to bury them out of sight, the younger generation is making a spade for its own back … because they might be pensioners too, Putin allowing. And it is a fact that to get a private pension of just £100 a week, they would need to save £100,000 today.

One for the car buffs …



Saudi Prince (Amir) al-Waleed bin Talal bin Abdul-Aziz (catchy name, eh?) won’t have any trouble paying Sadiq Khan’s crippling Ulez charges driving to the Hilton, by the look of it. This was his diamond-encrusted Mercedes SL500 designed to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the car. He paid £2.5million for it back in 2007 and keeps it under guard in his garage. And no wonder. It’s covered with 300,000 diamonds.

(From the Department of utter bollocks and picture editor Kristine Bogcanovitch). Thank you for taking time off from your amber nectar therapy evening Kris

*****

Money for old … memories.

HERE we go … is our politically correct UK going to be a soft touch again? Probably. For I see that our overseas friends are lining up for big cash handouts over the era of slavery two centuries ago. It was all our fault of course, the people who are living now. So, get ready to dig deep, you inhumane people.

 We can forget all the cost of the illegal boat invasion on our shores … or the panic over the state pension costing too much for lazy people who don’t work and anger many of the young, who just think the elderly are a drain on the State and rich anyway.

 Forget all our other debts as a nation; the cost of climate change and inflation … now we have the Mother of the compensation culture rearing her ugly head in the Caribbean.

 Have you ever been there? Anyway, this will wipe any smile off your face … Judge Patrick Robinson, of the International Court of Justice, claims the UK owes £18trillion in reparations for its historic role in transatlantic slavery involving 14 countries. No, it’s not a literal. £18trillion. It’s a giant leap from vandalising statues in Bristol and urinating over monuments, which some people are quite good at.

 Robinson said he was amazed some countries responsible for slavery think they can “bury their heads in the sand!” How long ago was it? Does he truly believe this will make things better for those who suffered in another time, another world? Eh? Why don’t these overpaid pyjama lawmen who think they can control us, concentrate on the here and now and the bloodshed and torture going on. Get real mate. As if we haven’t got enough problems.

 Everything comes down to money, doesn’t it. The UN, international courts and the aggrieved descendants who never knew their great, great, great grandfathers, are even working out who should get compensation money, sending many to their Dollis Hill attics to pull out old documents ready for easy riches.

 When they heard the news in the Neasden Omnibus canteen last week, the lads and lasses were steaming. I was there paying a few bob into my Christmas Club and they were reading the story in the Daily Mail.

 Shop Steward and top deck seat repairer, Mohammad Brown, cut out the report and pinned it between a poster of Twiggy on the wall and a cartoon about Sadiq Khan on the dartboard, so that everyone in the queue could see it. Cook Gordon Bennet, on chips and peas that day, said: “Does that mean we can claim off the Romans or Vikings? I need a new car.”

 Rishi Sunak is reported to be fighting the reparation demands, he says, so you can erase that hope from your notebooks straight away. This from the man who bounces like a rubber ball from dithering on the Triple Lock to never sending back the illegal African boat males.

 According to reports in the Press last week the Caribbean nations will first make formal demands to the Royal Family for slavery payments by the end of the year.

 “We are not asking for trinkets” says Mr Arley Gill, chairman of the Grenada National Reparation Committee in the Daily Telegraph. “… we want King Charles to make resources available for justice.” 

But don’t think that Charlie boy is their only target … the Church of England, Lloyd’s of London and British universities are also in his sights before they get to you and me, the British taxpayer.

 I suspect most of the aggrieved don’t even know where Grenada is on a map. Some statue wreckers must be rubbing their hands in expectation, thinking this might be another Windrush moment. But I am told that any reparations would probably come first as projects for the countries which suffered.

 Of course, slavery was wrong. But it was another time and a different world. We’re not to blame. What about the bloodbaths in Africa still going on today? They are still massacring their own. Those who are here now have a better life, don’t they? If not, why do they still keep coming?

 As Broadcaster Sir Trevor Philips says: “Their energies would be better directed in tackling modern problems like knife crime, which disproportionately affects young black men.” Sounds a better idea, but then the figures would be claimed to be distorted or even racist.

 But as momentum grows in the Caribbean, and protagonists seem to have governments on the run, Arley and his excited comrades probably want the Crown Jewels.

 As for the British public, we’re too busy sending our Overseas Aid to the Caribbean and trying to pay our household bills. Surely a published apology is enough. The money won’t benefit the slaves who passed on over 200 years ago, will it?

TERRY MANNERS

“Down the hole please, Harry.”

18 September 2023