George Oldfield
Encyclopedia
George Oldfield was a British
police detective who finished his career as Assistant Chief Constable of West Yorkshire Police
. He is known for leading major criminal inquiries by the force, including the M62 coach bombing
and the 'Yorkshire Ripper
' series of murders. The latter inquiry put great strain on his health.
In 1944, Oldfield married 21-year-old Agnes Clarkson and had two children, Michael and Linda.
before joining the West Riding police force in 1947. He quickly specialised in the Criminal Investigation Department
, and rose through the ranks. In February 1974, Detective Chief Superintendent Oldfield as head of the West Yorkshire CID took command of the investigation into an Irish Republican Army
bomb which had killed 12 people on board a coach carrying members of the British armed services along the M62 motorway
; he immediately made contact with the Garda Síochána
and ordered forensic tests on the wreckage on the motorway. On 19 February the investigation charged Judith Ward
with the bombing after Griess tests on her hands indicated contact with explosives and prompted a confession. Although her confession was later retracted, Ward was convicted of the bombing on 4 November 1974 and sentenced to 30 years' imprisonment.
taunted Oldfield personally for being unable to catch him. Oldfield was convinced that the tape came from the real murderer and spent a great deal of time in the north east around Sunderland
, as the accent of the man on the tape was determined to come from the Castletown area in the town. However, in August 1979 Oldfield was taken ill with what was described as a chest infection; he was off work for more than four months. When he returned it was acknowledged that Oldfield had had a heart attack
. He did not return to the Ripper investigation.
The arrest of Peter Sutcliffe
by South Yorkshire Police
in Sheffield in January 1981 led to the discovery that he was the 'Yorkshire Ripper'. Sutcliffe had no connection to Sunderland and it quickly became apparent that the letters had been a distraction from the hunt for the murderer. Oldfield did not attend Sutcliffe's trial at the Old Bailey
in London; he still believed, although Sutcliffe had not written the letters or read the taped message, that there was a strong connection between them and the murder inquiry. Shortly after the trial, Oldfield was transferred away from the CID to take charge of operational support. West Yorkshire police insisted that he was not being sacked or demoted, but moved to less onerous duties due to his health. In February 1982 he moved to be Assistant Chief Constable in charge of the Western Division, based at Bradford.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
police detective who finished his career as Assistant Chief Constable of West Yorkshire Police
West Yorkshire Police
West Yorkshire Police is the territorial police force responsible for policing West Yorkshire in England. It is the fourth largest force in England and Wales by number of officers, with 5671 officers....
. He is known for leading major criminal inquiries by the force, including the M62 coach bombing
M62 coach bombing
The M62 coach bombing happened on 4 February 1974 on the M62 motorway in northern England, when a Provisional Irish Republican Army bomb exploded in a coach carrying off-duty British Armed Forces personnel and their family members. Twelve people were killed by the bomb, which consisted of of...
and the 'Yorkshire Ripper
Peter Sutcliffe
Peter William Sutcliffe is a British serial killer who was dubbed "The Yorkshire Ripper". In 1981 Sutcliffe was convicted of murdering 13 women and attacking seven others. He is currently serving 20 sentences of life imprisonment in Broadmoor Hospital...
' series of murders. The latter inquiry put great strain on his health.
Personal life
George Oldfield was born 11 February 1919, the youngest of four children of Alice (née Issott) (1881–1948) and John Oldfield (1875–1928). George's siblings included Maud Lea (1903–1992), Harold, and Evelyn McGuinn (1907–1999).In 1944, Oldfield married 21-year-old Agnes Clarkson and had two children, Michael and Linda.
M62 bombing
Oldfield had served in the Royal NavyRoyal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
before joining the West Riding police force in 1947. He quickly specialised in the Criminal Investigation Department
Criminal Investigation Department
The Crime Investigation Department is the branch of all Territorial police forces within the British Police and many other Commonwealth police forces, to which plain clothes detectives belong. It is thus distinct from the Uniformed Branch and the Special Branch.The Metropolitan Police Service CID,...
, and rose through the ranks. In February 1974, Detective Chief Superintendent Oldfield as head of the West Yorkshire CID took command of the investigation into an Irish Republican Army
Provisional Irish Republican Army
The Provisional Irish Republican Army is an Irish republican paramilitary organisation whose aim was to remove Northern Ireland from the United Kingdom and bring about a socialist republic within a united Ireland by force of arms and political persuasion...
bomb which had killed 12 people on board a coach carrying members of the British armed services along the M62 motorway
M62 motorway
The M62 motorway is a west–east trans-Pennine motorway in Northern England, connecting the cities of Liverpool and Hull via Manchester and Leeds. The road also forms part of the unsigned Euroroutes E20 and E22...
; he immediately made contact with the Garda Síochána
Garda Síochána
, more commonly referred to as the Gardaí , is the police force of Ireland. The service is headed by the Commissioner who is appointed by the Irish Government. Its headquarters are located in the Phoenix Park in Dublin.- Terminology :...
and ordered forensic tests on the wreckage on the motorway. On 19 February the investigation charged Judith Ward
Judith Ward
Judith Theresa Ward is a British woman known for being a victim of unsafe convictions in 1974 for the bombing of Euston Station in 1973, and of the National Defence College and M62 coach bombings in 1974. Her conviction was quashed and she was released from prison on 11 May 1992...
with the bombing after Griess tests on her hands indicated contact with explosives and prompted a confession. Although her confession was later retracted, Ward was convicted of the bombing on 4 November 1974 and sentenced to 30 years' imprisonment.
Promotion
The success of obtaining a conviction and heavy sentence on Ward was a significant boost to Oldfield's reputation, and on 27 May 1976 he was promoted to be Assistant Chief Constable for Crime at West Yorkshire Police. It was some years after Oldfield's death that, in 1992, Ward's conviction was overturned as the forensic tests were discredited and her confession found to be the product of a mental illness. In overturning the conviction, the Court of Appeal strongly criticised Oldfield for not disclosing a series of interviews with Ward to her defence team.Yorkshire Ripper inquiry
As Assistant Chief Constable, Oldfield took the lead when starting in 1975 several women were found murdered or horrifically injured in Leeds and Bradford. Oldfield confirmed when new attacks were linked with the same inquiry that the police believed they were being committed by the same man. From the fact that the murderer attacked and mutilated women, some of whom were associated with prostitution, the nickname "Yorkshire Ripper" came to be applied to the killings. Oldfield devoted himself to investigating the crimes, working very long hours and taking very little leave.Health problems
In June 1979, Oldfield publicised a tape recording received by the police in which a man claiming to be the murdererWearside Jack
Wearside Jack is the nickname given to John Samuel Humble , a hoaxer who pretended to be the Yorkshire Ripper in the late 1970s. In 2006 he was convicted for perverting the course of justice.-Taunting letters:...
taunted Oldfield personally for being unable to catch him. Oldfield was convinced that the tape came from the real murderer and spent a great deal of time in the north east around Sunderland
City of Sunderland
The City of Sunderland is a local government district of Tyne and Wear, in North East England, with the status of a city and metropolitan borough...
, as the accent of the man on the tape was determined to come from the Castletown area in the town. However, in August 1979 Oldfield was taken ill with what was described as a chest infection; he was off work for more than four months. When he returned it was acknowledged that Oldfield had had a heart attack
Myocardial infarction
Myocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die...
. He did not return to the Ripper investigation.
The arrest of Peter Sutcliffe
Peter Sutcliffe
Peter William Sutcliffe is a British serial killer who was dubbed "The Yorkshire Ripper". In 1981 Sutcliffe was convicted of murdering 13 women and attacking seven others. He is currently serving 20 sentences of life imprisonment in Broadmoor Hospital...
by South Yorkshire Police
South Yorkshire Police
South Yorkshire Police is the territorial police force responsible for policing South Yorkshire in England.The police force covers an area of approximately 1,554 square kilometres which is made up of the county's three boroughs , along with the City of Sheffield. The resident population is 1.2...
in Sheffield in January 1981 led to the discovery that he was the 'Yorkshire Ripper'. Sutcliffe had no connection to Sunderland and it quickly became apparent that the letters had been a distraction from the hunt for the murderer. Oldfield did not attend Sutcliffe's trial at the Old Bailey
Old Bailey
The Central Criminal Court in England and Wales, commonly known as the Old Bailey from the street in which it stands, is a court building in central London, one of a number of buildings housing the Crown Court...
in London; he still believed, although Sutcliffe had not written the letters or read the taped message, that there was a strong connection between them and the murder inquiry. Shortly after the trial, Oldfield was transferred away from the CID to take charge of operational support. West Yorkshire police insisted that he was not being sacked or demoted, but moved to less onerous duties due to his health. In February 1982 he moved to be Assistant Chief Constable in charge of the Western Division, based at Bradford.