Peter Hook discusses being questioned during Yorkshire Ripper hunt

By CMU Editorial | Published on Wednesday 12 December 2012

In his new book, ‘Unknown Pleasures: Inside Joy Division’, Peter Hook writes that he and Joy Division drummer Steve Morris were questioned in 1979 by police investigating the then unsolved Yorkshire Ripper murder case, after their touring schedule turned out to be similar to the killerr’s movements.

Speaking to Xfm, Hook explained: “What happened was that every club we played in was run by a dodgy promoter in some dodgy part of town. We managed to play in the red light districts of Halifax, Huddersfield, Leeds, Manchester and probably London as well. The police had asked the public to note down the license plate numbers of any strange cars in the area, so they could investigate them later. Somehow mine and Steve’s cars had gone in the system a couple of times and basically we got picked out!”

He continued: “Steve was very very nervous in those days and when the police questioned him, he lost it. He got taken to the police station and his mum had to come and rescue him. It was very frightening – they basically asked you straight out if you were the Ripper”.

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