Former Coronation Street actor Bruce Jones hopes the Yorkshire Ripper Peter Sutcliffe will ‘rot in hell’.
The serial killer, convicted of murdering 13 women between 1975 and 1980, died aged 74 earlier this month.
He reportedly succumbed to coronavirus, two weeks after receiving hospital treatment for a suspected heart attack.
Actor Bruce told The Sun he tried to take his own life after discovering victim Jean Jordan’s body in 1977.
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But Bruce also revealed his relief at Sutcliffe’s death – and admitted he felt ‘haunted’ by the Ripper’s appalling crimes.
The Les Battersby star told the tabloid what he saw when he found the mum-of-two’s body dumped on a Manchester wasteland changed his life forever.
I hope I finally escape the ghost of that man.
“Every time I’d close my eyes I’d see that poor girl and be reminded of what that monster did to her,” he said.
Bruce also admitted he tried to ‘do himself in’ to end the nightmares he endured in the weeks following.
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Bruce Jones was a suspect for Yorkshire Ripper slaying
However, Bruce – at one point treated as a suspect – was motivated to ‘keep going’ for the good of his four children.
He also believes he spied Sutcliffe’s face peering at him from some nearby bushes as he made the awful discovery.
And he speculates that Sutcliffe may have ‘got a kick’ out of observing his victims being found.
Bruce thinks the horror he experienced as sparked his addiction to alcohol. He also believes it led to the end of his first marriage in 1982.
But despite his life being scarred, Bruce was delighted to hear of the brutal murderer’s own death.
He told the tabloid he hoped Sutcliffe’s demise would mean some peace for the families of the victims.
But he also said he wished he could have got his hands on him, too.
Bruce added: “I’d have kicked the crap out of him and I wouldn’t have stopped until someone pulled me off.
“Now he’s gone I want him to rot in hell. And I hope I finally escape the ghost of that man.”
Since leaving Corrie in 2007, Bruce has made appearances on Celebrity Big Brother, Celebrity Wife Swap and Celebrity Come Dine With Me.
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