Ann Rooney | Yorkshire Ripper Victim | Friday, 2nd March, 1979

Ann Rooney

Ann Rooney, 22,  was brutally attacked during the evening of Friday, 2nd March, 1979, as she was  walking through the grounds of Horsforth College, where she studied. 

Horsforth College was less than three miles from Millgarth police station where parts of the Ripper investigations were being managed from. 

Ann Rooney was struck three times on the back of her head; luckily, her attacker was disturbed by other students. 

Ann survived the attack and gave Leeds detectives a very clear description of her attacker:

• He was in his late twenties,
• He was approximately five feet ten inches tall
• He had a broad build 
• He had dark, curly hair 
• He had a droopy moustache and a beard. 

Ann explained that she had seen her attacker sitting in a dark-coloured car. She identified the car as a Sunbeam Rapier. This was identical to the Sunbeam Rapier that Peter Sutcliffe had. Sutcliffe had bought the Rapier on the 14th May 1978. The black Sunbeam Rapier had the registered number NKU 888H.

The Rapier had been recorded numerous times driving through the red-light districts of Leeds and Bradford - as well as a sighting in Manchester's Most Side

The Police National Computer records showed it to be one of only three Sunbeam Rapiers recorded in all three high-profile 'Ripper' areas. Because Sutcliffe had also been recorded in red-light areas (Chapeltown and Marmingham) in his Ford Corsair he should have been a prime suspect.

Ann was not initially recored as a victim of the Yorkshire Ripper as the hammer marks in her skull were a different size to those already on record. Ann was also not a prostitute - so was discounted as a potential Ripper victim. At this stage of the investigation police officers were only focusing on prostitutes.

Although never charged with Ann's attack, reports suggest Sutcliffe has admitted to attacking Ann Rooney.