Is This Jack The Ripper?

A teacher claims that Jack The Ripper is none other than respected poet Francis Thompson.

16:28 05 November 2015

Richard Patterson, a teacher who has been investigating the true identity of Jack The Ripper for 20 years, claims that he may have finally uncovered the truth. He said that it could have been the respected poet Francis Thompson who killed five women in East London.

 

He said: "I'm grateful to have played some part in helping people understand Thompson, and why he might have been the Ripper.

 

"I'm excited that people are beginning to take the theory seriously, seeing Thompson and the crimes in a different light creates interesting possibilities."

 

"Thompson kept a dissecting knife under his coat, and he was taught a rare surgical procedure that was found in the mutilations of more than one of the Ripper victims.

 

"He helped with surgery and is known to have cut up heaps and heaps of cadavers while a student."

 

Thompson struggled after moving to London in 1885 until a local prostitute is believed to have offered him a place to stay. They shared a romantic relationship and Richard believes that Thompson was devastated when she left him. He believes that this pushed Thompson to take out his anger on other sex workers in the area.