A British window cleaner has denied sending hoax letters and an audiotape during the hunt for the Yorkshire Ripper in the 1970s.
John Humble appeared in court Monday in Leeds and entered a not guilty plea, the newspaper Sunderland Today reported.
"Mr Humble's case is he has no recollection of writing the letters or sending the tape," his lawyer, David Taylor, told the court.
Two of the letters were sent to police, taunting them for their lack of progress, and a third to the Daily Mirror. The audiotape claimed to be from the killer and sidetracked the investigation because the man on the tape had a strong Sunderland accent.
Peter Sutcliffe, who confessed to 13 killings after his 1981 arrest, was from West Yorkshire. He is serving a life sentence.
© Copyright 2006 by United Press International
