On May 9, 2001, the BBC broadcast taped prison conversations between Peter Sutcliffe and Diane Simpson, a graphologist.  The program called "Dear Peter - Letters to the Yorkshire Ripper" examined the relationship that three women had with convicted serial killer Peter Sutcliffe. These three women have been in constant contact with Sutcliffe while he has been in Broadmoor hospital.

Sutcliffe was sent to Broadmoor after being diagnosed as a paranoid schizophrenic. Even though Sutcliffe is a vicious predator of women, Sutcliffe gets some 30 letters a week from women.

The desperately lonely psychopathic serial killer is effusive in his kindness: "I won't let anybody down who visits me. I will always give them a really nice visit. I guess I'm a guy who needs friends."

The program also featured interviews with two women who were admirers of Sutcliffe's: Sandra Lester and Olive Curry.

The BBC reported that Lester had been writing to Sutcliffe since 1990. After reading about him, she wanted to "extend a Christian hand of support."  The result of a year of letter writing was that she convinced herself that she was in love with him. However, with all the female attention Sutcliffe was getting, he was not about to limit himself. Consequently he refused to allow Lester visiting rights, telling prison authorities that he wanted to have many women friends.

The other woman in the BBC program was Olive Curry. Sutcliffe was kind enough to permit Curry to visit him. The BBC reported that Curry "believes he used to visit the Seaman's Mission Cafe in Sheffield where she worked before he was caught. Curry says she wanted him to reveal the identity of his companion, whom she believed could have been his accomplice. Curry told the BBC that Sutcliffe was always in the company of a man with a Wearside accent who she believes could have been his accomplice in many of the murders. Although Sutcliffe denies having been to the canteen, the pair have exchanged 500 letters."

 Christine Morgan, who produced the program said: "Most people would express some surprise that anybody would like to write to him.

"There are elements of curiosity, grim fascination and excitement for these women.

"A lot of woman believe they can heal him.

"In all cases women have been disillusioned and dejected and played one off against another by him."

Why do women write to and fall in love with vicious sexual predators? Is this unusual and is Peter Sutcliffe unique? Why are women so attracted to bad boys? 

Though many people find it hard to believe, it is very common for serial killers to have many women admirers professing love. To name just of few of the most heinous, Richard Ramirez known as the "Night Stalker," Doug Clark and Ken Bianchi of the "Hillside Stranglers" had numerous pen pals that adored them.

Peter Sutcliffe, the psychopath who is so expert in conning women, leads them on with phrases like "You are a breath of fresh air" and "I like this cloud nine thing with you."

Diane Simpson, a handwriting analyst from Cheshire, has invested hundreds of hours communicating with Sutcliffe over the past 10 years. She told the BBC that "she worked on the original manhunt and, still fascinated, wrote to him after his conviction. His letters piqued her interest by repeatedly hinting that he would confess to other crimes."

Newcastle University psychologist Dr. George Erdos explains this phenomenon, "for men like Sutcliffe, letter-writing not only fills the long boring days behind bars." Regarding the women, Dr. Erdos thinks that they are lonely or possibly "caught up in a religious fervor to forgive the unforgivable."

Professor Petruska Clarkson, a relationship psychotherapist, believes that "some may fantasize that a man like Sutcliffe may be the way he is because he has yet to be loved by the right person - and they may well be the one. This is certainly a way to feel special and unique.

"Villains capture the imagination. Human beings are interested in those who live by extremes since they often do what other, more ordinary mortals, cannot bear to think of themselves capable [of doing].

"People who kill women, particularly prostitutes, do it for reasons of inadequacy." They don't like women, or they're frightened of them. Being in prison, an all-male environment, means there's little chance to vent that aggression.

"This way, he can manipulate women by telling them how special they are, then cause grief by saying, 'You know you're not the only one'. It's a sadistic thing to do."

Professor Petruska Clarkson explains that convicts may also seek attention in this way because it's a basic human need to form bonds with others.