The Yorkshire Ripper is to be allowed out of Broadmoor to visit his sick father, it was claimed today.

Peter Sutcliffe's father John, 75, is dying of cancer at his home in Bingley, and his son is expected to visit him there within the next fortnight, according to unconfirmed reports in a national newspaper.

Sutcliffe, 52, who was jailed for life in 1982, has not seen his father since 1993 but is in regular contact by telephone.

A spokesman for the Berkshire-based high-security hospital said: "We don't discuss individual patients."

But it is understood that any patient at Broadmoor has the right to apply to make - or receive - a visit on compassionate grounds.

However, the success of any application would depend on a clinical assessment of the individual patient by hospital staff, whose recommendation would be passed on to the Home Office, which would make the final decision to either grant or refuse it.

But a Department of Health spokesman told the Telegraph & Argus: "My understanding is that Mr Sutcliffe has been told his father is ill but he has made no application for leave of absence from the hospital."

Sutcliffe was jailed at the Old Bailey for killing 13 women and trying to murder seven more. The judge recommended he serve at least 30 years.

At his trial he told the jury he had heard "God's voice" from a grave he was digging in 1967 telling him to kill prostitutes "because they were the scum of the earth".

Harry Smelt, whose wife Olive survived an attack by Sutcliffe in Halifax in 1975, today said he had no concerns over the security of the operation.

Mr Smelt said he would want the visit to go ahead not for the son but for the father.

"If I were John Sutcliffe and he was my son I would want him to visit before I died," he said.

"I had a stroke recently and if the places were turned I would want to see my son."

John Sutcliffe, speaking in a TV interview a fortnight ago, admitted his son should have hanged for his crimes.

He revealed he no longer visited his son but spoke to him on the telephone, exchanging small talk every fortnight. He spoke of his continuing love for him and the feelings of guilt, shame and hurt he had dealt with since his arrest nearly 20 years ago.

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