A FORMER detective who helped in the hunt for the Yorkshire Ripper today insisted: “He must never be released”.

John Stainthorpe, of Huddersfield, was a detective for more than 40 years and worked on the Ripper inquiries.

And as a judge prepared to rule today on Peter Sutcliffe’s plea to have a tariff set for his incarceration, Mr Stainthorpe said it would be wrong to release him.

“How can anyone seriously consider releasing a man who killed at least 13 women and attacked many others?

“He was one of the most vicious and violent criminals I ever came across and I was involved in many murder inquiries.

“Sutcliffe created an atmosphere of fear across West Yorkshire and indeed Manchester for many years and people were afraid to go out.

“It would be a complete travesty if he was ever allowed out. He is a sexual deviant who killed for kicks and there is still a belief he had other victims.”

But a psychologist at the University of Huddersfield, Sarah Jane Robinson, believes Sutcliffe deserves to know if he must spend the rest of his life in prison or not.

She disputed the claim that he is “evil” and said although his crimes were terrible, he had held down a job and had relationships with his family and his wife.

“He did terrible things and there will always be those who say he is evil.

“When he was caught people said he must be mentally ill because no sane person could ever do those things.

“The trial decided he was bad rather than mad but he was subsequently diagnosed with a mental illness.

“For his own safety, I do not think that he should come out. There would be so much public unrest and anger that it would be too difficult.

“But because no tariff was set at his trial, he has the right to know if he is going to die in prison.”

A High Court judge will announce his decision on the application by Peter Sutcliffe to have his minimum term set shortly after 10am today.

Sutcliffe, the 63-year-old former lorry driver from Bradford, is now known as Peter Coonan.

He was convicted at the Old Bailey in London in 1981 of 13 murders, including teenager Helen Rytka in Huddersfield, and seven attempted murders, including an attack in Oakes on Theresa Sykes.