The Long Shadow on ITVX

I think the series has been really well done.

The attitude of the police towards the murdered women was absolutely disgusting. They seemed, in effect, to blame some of the women for what had happened to them.

The whole investigation seems to have been badly handled. I had forgotten how long it took for the police to catch Sutcliffe. It was a disgrace.

I know someone who joined the police as a young man many years ago. He said he had to leave because he could not bear the racist and sexist views and behaviour that he witnessed and was fairly confident that, had he reported it, he would have been sent to coventry or worse. Unfortunately it appears that there are still significant numbers of police officers who have similarly appalling views and behaviour.

I heard on a news bulletin at the time that Peter Sutcliffe's father had gone into his place of work and said that the man had been caught and, remarkably, had the same name as his son. What horror and shock when he was faced with the truth. What a bad time that was - all of those children, left without mothers, having to live with what had happened. They must be middle aged now.

I can well imagine, Iam. They were scary times.

Maggiemaybe, it’s good that the series writer made positive comments about the majority of hard working officers. Those of us working/living near the red light area in Whaley Range were reassured by the visible police presence

The fixation on Geordie Jack was the main reason why it took so long to catch Sutcliffe. The man who carried out that hoax had a lot to answer for - he could have owned up at any time when he saw what transpired, but didn’t. He derailed the whole investigation. I was interviewed twice just because I lived in the area where the murders happened and came from the North East, and my male relatives were checked out - their backgrounds, when they’d visited, etc.

That huge mistake aside, it’s easy to criticise the whole police force as being “stupid”, without taking into account the fact that this all happened before computers, before DNA, before gathering information became an easy click of a button. Sutcliffe wasn’t suspected even by his nearest and dearest, living as he did a quiet life with his teacher wife. I knew a relative of his who was as shocked as anyone by the arrest. They’d all seen that infamous photo fit - it was in every newspaper. Yes, it looked like Sutcliffe, it also looked like many other young men at the time with the trendy 70s sideboards and moustache. My DH was ribbed for his resemblance to it, so were several friends. There was no pattern as regards age or ethnicity of the victims, and the murders took place irregularly over a wide area. Cross-checking of the many thousands of interviews and leads was down to sorting through index cards. Police station floors had to be reinforced to deal with the weight of the files. Yes, Sutcliffe was questioned several times. So were many others, including my brother in law, driving through the red light district near where he worked.

I read an interview with the series writer, saying what huge respect he had for the majority of hard-working officers on the case, and the long, gruelling hours they put in trying to catch this man, often to the detriment of their home lives. Hindsight, of course, is the best detective of all.

Glamdram

We watched Long Shadow over 4 nights. Steller cast. Knew all the actors in it. Cameo appearances for some . Eas typical of its era with attitudes etc. But what I found intriguing was how they missed things and fouled things up. But the whole index filing was typical of that era too. No computers. DnA or anything. No wonder it took years to catch Sutcliffe

It would have taken less years if George Oldfield hadn’t fixated on Geordie Jack.
To think that Sutcliffe was interviewed nine times! There were several almost exact photofits of him.

biglouis, I was the poster who mentioned Whaley Range because I lived there during the ripper years. It was and remains a mixed area. I posted about being harassed by men looking for sex as I walked children to school, along a road with big 1930’s houses mostly lived in by ‘professional ‘ people. I was wearing jeans, it was 8.30 am why anyone would think I was ‘working’ I don’t know.
South Manchester is a wealthier place now.

Just wondering why Whally Range in Manchester was mentioned by a poster. Its a very diverse area which straddles two distinct demographics. There is a poorer area where sex workers still hang out - I see them sometimes on taxi journeys. However most of Whally range is leafy middle class and bordering on the upmarket Chorlton area with its trendy shops and wine bars. There are some excellent schools nearby and people buy a property just to get their children into the catchment area.

Of course it wasn’t just (some) police officers who saw prostitutes as lesser beings, nor was it just (some) men. Surely people remember the press headlines of the time, salacious and almost gleeful when reporting the “prostitute killings”, and the faux concern when a “decent” woman or girl was attacked?

And Anniebach is quite right when she says that women could (and still can) be every bit as judgemental and narrow-minded as men.

Mallin, if you have a laptop or PC, you should be able to download ITVX, then just run a cable to your TV.

We watched Long Shadow over 4 nights. Steller cast. Knew all the actors in it. Cameo appearances for some . Eas typical of its era with attitudes etc. But what I found intriguing was how they missed things and fouled things up. But the whole index filing was typical of that era too. No computers. DnA or anything. No wonder it took years to catch Sutcliffe

Anyone with a “still perfectly good tv” which is no longer supported by catch up platforms like BBCiplayer ITV, Channel 4, Chanel 5 etc, can buy a device such as an Amazon Firestick that is small plug in device (£40 ish) there are lots so research and ask questions before choosing. Argos or Curry’s have them.

Once set up (which was easy) you are good to go and it gives you YouTube and other apps to explore.
Well worth it.

Mallin

Okay for those able to afford a new tv. I can’t get itvxon my tv. There’s nothing wrong with my 55” tv I saved up to get a few years back so this is s programme I won’t be able to see. Or didn’t you realise it pulled the plug and older tvs can’t get ITVX. I’m too old to spend money on a new tv , so unless I hear about an upcoming series I’d like to see and video it, then ITVX is unavailable to me. And quite a few older people too.

I have a 12 year old TV which is not smart but it does have a USB port. I bought an Amazon Fire Stick and plugged it in at the back and now can get ITVX, Freevee and most importantly You Tube. All are free, although come through the internet as the TV is connected to my BT Vision Hub.

Freevee is free to anyone with an Amazon account (not Prime) and the whole world is on You Tube, which is just the most amazing thing ever.

Buy a UKTV play box, Curry's, not sure of the price. You can record programmes to watch later, ITVX for one, BUT you need an usb socket on your TV and and Internet connection to your TV. MY TV is over 10 years old and has these connections.

Not ALL men

Yes, inishowen, it was ALL men. And any woman who spoke up against it ... even just mildly ... was sneered at as a "women's libber" and put down.

Your old boss sounds dreadful.

It wasn't just the police who had these attitudes. It was ALL men. I remember my boss attending a rape trial. The victim was 14 and appeared in school uniform. She was told to come back in the clothes she'd worn when she was attacked. Turned out she'd worn a mini skirt. My boss gleefully reported back that he'd known she was a slut. I hated that man.

It does being out some reasons why it was hard to nail him, no national computer system, too much irrelevant information on paper, but also how one man could dictate that the tape sent most definitely was him, despite the survivors saying no he was a Yorkshireman. Indeed Marcella was told that no she hasn't been attacked by a whitean, but a black man. And all describing h identically. He was identifies by one of the officers who was told that if he mentioned it again that he would be on traffic duty forever, because he was wrong, they traced a £5 note found at one of the murder scenes to a particular small town and from there to one particular firm, the one he worked for, but they didn't follow it up. When outside help was brought in, looking at the records the officer accurately described the area in which he lived, which proves to be accurate.
In the end it was a petty crime that for him nailed by a different force, that bit near the end where they announced that he has been found and how delighted they were and all the self congratulate taking the credit actually happened as portrayed. The arrogance of the top ranks was staggering, it was all down to a couple of bobbies patrolling their area who did some.basic copper work. And thinking about it dis they only speak to him because they saw the prostitute in with him, had he been on his own would they have had the registration plate pulled up?

The whole series can be watched on ITVX but you can watch weekly on ITV Monday at 9pm

GrannyGravy13

I have watched the first two episodes, what stands out for me is the attitude of some of the police officers because the women were prostitutes.

Despite the subject matter I am enjoying it.

Very sadly this is based on fact, as is classing some as innocent girls, the investigations were ramped up once he attacked someone who was from a "food" family,not all.of those branded as prostitutes were. Prostitutes as well as the other women were just line women in the wrong place at the wrong time, being alone when he was there. Maybe prostitutes were a very easy target so that's why he went for them, but Wilma wasn't the first victim, and a male taxi driver was attacked and believed that it was him.

I eventually got ITVX. I don't use it unless l have to. It's rubbish. I have to log in every time l use it email and password. Unless l pay extra l have to put up with the adverts. It freezes and takes a while to come back to the pr ogramme l am watching.

Okay for those able to afford a new tv. I can’t get itvxon my tv. There’s nothing wrong with my 55” tv I saved up to get a few years back so this is s programme I won’t be able to see. Or didn’t you realise it pulled the plug and older tvs can’t get ITVX. I’m too old to spend money on a new tv , so unless I hear about an upcoming series I’d like to see and video it, then ITVX is unavailable to me. And quite a few older people too.

Yes, I said ‘victims’ , we are moving forward , have you forgotten the 50’s ?

But they were victims. They were murdered.
We are not moving towards anything of the sort, whatever the likes of Lawrence Fox like to spout.

The majority of victims in the ripper murders were not adolescent girls.

We have moved on from the 50’s - ‘it’s up to the boy to try and the girl to say no’. Now we are reaching -‘all girls are victims and all men are sexual predators’.