London's Metropolitan Police is fighting a legal battle to keep files detailing the investigation into Britain's most famous set of murders a secret - to maintain confidentiality for Victorian 'supergrasses'.
The documents are said to include four new suspects for the murders - probably the most infamous in the world - of 11 people which took place in east London's Whitechapel in 1888 by a brutal killer known only as Jack the Ripper. The five key victims, and the most well-known, are the prostitutes Mary Ann Nichols, Annie Chapman, Elizabeth Stride, Catherine Eddowes and Mary Jane Kelly.
It remains a mystery, 123 years later, as to the identity of Jack the Ripper.
The historic ledgers have 36,000 entries detailing police interaction with informants between 1888 to 1912.
But the Met, Britain's largest police force, believes that releasing the names, even 123 years after the killings took place, may hinder recruitment and the gathering of information from modern informants, who believe that their secret identities may also one day be revealed.
Det Supt Julian McKinney said that any release would make officers less able to prevent terrorist attacks and organised crime: 'Regardless of the time, regardless of whether they are dead, they should never be disclosed.
'They come to us only when they have the confidence in our system that their identity will not be disclosed.'
All of Ripper's victims had their throats cut and several of their internal organs were removed including the uterus and heart.
Conspiracy theorists believe that the identity of the murderer has been known all along but he may have been so high-profile (one unlikely theory is that Jack the Ripper was the Duke of Clarence, Queen Victoria's grandson) that a cover-up has kept his identity secret ever since.
Police make bizarre legal battle to keep Jack the Ripper files secret so Victorian sources keep their 'confidentiality'
By Daily Mail Reporter
15th May 2011
The Met Police is fighting a legal battle to keep files detailing the investigation into the notorious Jack the Ripper case secret - to maintain confidentiality for Victorian 'supergrasses'.
The documents are said to include four new suspects for the serial killings which terrorised Whitechapel in 1888 and have become one of the world's most infamous unsolved cases.
The historic ledgers have 36,000 entries detailing police interaction with informants between 1888 to 1912.
Mystery: Despite investigation from some of the world's leading detectives, the Jack the Ripper case still remains unsolved more than a century later
However, Scotland Yard reportedly believes disclosing the names could hinder recruiting and gathering information from modern informants, affecting terrorism investigations - and even lead to the Victorians' relatives being attacked.
Author and former police officer, Trevor Marriott, has tried for three years to see uncensored versions of the documents.
He has previously applied under the Freedom of Information Act and, when that was refused, he appealed to the Information Commissioner, which also rejected his attempt.
He has now appealed to the Information Tribunal, which is expected to release its decision later this year.
Legal: Former murder squad detective Trevor Marriot has been fighting a battle to see the documents
Mr Marriott, who has written two previous books on the case, told the Sunday Mirror: 'These files should be made public at once. They are some of the most interesting records on the case I've come across.
'Some of the informants died more than 100 years ago, so to censor the documents is absurd.'
He told the Sunday Telegraph he thought it could be the 'very last chance' to solve the case, as the files contained at least four new suspects and other evidence.
Hanbury Street, Whitechapel, east London, today. This was where Annie Chapman was murdered.
The three day hearing - part of a legal battle which has so far cost the taxpayer thousands of pounds - was last week told by a detective inspector, known as D, that disclosing the files could deter informants from helping the police.
Speaking from behind a screen, the Sunday Telegraph reported that the officer - who works in intelligence gathering - said: 'Confidence in the system is maintaining their safety, regardless of age.'
The newspaper also said that Det Supt Julian McKinney said that any release would make officers less able to prevent terrorist attacks and organised crime: 'Regardless of the time, regardless of whether they are dead, they should never be disclosed.
'They come to us only when they have the confidence in our system that their identity will not be disclosed.'
Suspect: Montague John Druitt is one of the men suspected by the Yard of the killings, including that of Lizzy Stride, right
Although there were 11 murders in total, the killings of prostitutes Mary Ann Nichols, Annie Chapman, Elizabeth Stride, Catherine Eddowes and Mary Jane Kelly are considered to be the five key cases as they all occurred in the same small London area of Whitechapel.
All of their throats were cut and several of their internal organs were removed including the uterus and heart.
The Met Police's four suspects for the killings include Aaron Kosminski, Montague John Druitt, Michael Ostrog and Dr Francis J.Tumblety.
The pseudonym Jack the Ripper came from a letter posted to a London news agency at the time of the murders, supposedly from the killer himself but it was later dismissed as a hoax.
Jack the Ripper: Scotland Yard's legal battle to keep files secret 120 years after killings | Mail Online
The documents are said to include four new suspects for the murders - probably the most infamous in the world - of 11 people which took place in east London's Whitechapel in 1888 by a brutal killer known only as Jack the Ripper. The five key victims, and the most well-known, are the prostitutes Mary Ann Nichols, Annie Chapman, Elizabeth Stride, Catherine Eddowes and Mary Jane Kelly.
It remains a mystery, 123 years later, as to the identity of Jack the Ripper.
The historic ledgers have 36,000 entries detailing police interaction with informants between 1888 to 1912.
But the Met, Britain's largest police force, believes that releasing the names, even 123 years after the killings took place, may hinder recruitment and the gathering of information from modern informants, who believe that their secret identities may also one day be revealed.
Det Supt Julian McKinney said that any release would make officers less able to prevent terrorist attacks and organised crime: 'Regardless of the time, regardless of whether they are dead, they should never be disclosed.
'They come to us only when they have the confidence in our system that their identity will not be disclosed.'
All of Ripper's victims had their throats cut and several of their internal organs were removed including the uterus and heart.
Conspiracy theorists believe that the identity of the murderer has been known all along but he may have been so high-profile (one unlikely theory is that Jack the Ripper was the Duke of Clarence, Queen Victoria's grandson) that a cover-up has kept his identity secret ever since.
Police make bizarre legal battle to keep Jack the Ripper files secret so Victorian sources keep their 'confidentiality'
By Daily Mail Reporter
15th May 2011
The Met Police is fighting a legal battle to keep files detailing the investigation into the notorious Jack the Ripper case secret - to maintain confidentiality for Victorian 'supergrasses'.
The documents are said to include four new suspects for the serial killings which terrorised Whitechapel in 1888 and have become one of the world's most infamous unsolved cases.
The historic ledgers have 36,000 entries detailing police interaction with informants between 1888 to 1912.
Mystery: Despite investigation from some of the world's leading detectives, the Jack the Ripper case still remains unsolved more than a century later
However, Scotland Yard reportedly believes disclosing the names could hinder recruiting and gathering information from modern informants, affecting terrorism investigations - and even lead to the Victorians' relatives being attacked.
Author and former police officer, Trevor Marriott, has tried for three years to see uncensored versions of the documents.
He has previously applied under the Freedom of Information Act and, when that was refused, he appealed to the Information Commissioner, which also rejected his attempt.
He has now appealed to the Information Tribunal, which is expected to release its decision later this year.
Legal: Former murder squad detective Trevor Marriot has been fighting a battle to see the documents
Mr Marriott, who has written two previous books on the case, told the Sunday Mirror: 'These files should be made public at once. They are some of the most interesting records on the case I've come across.
'Some of the informants died more than 100 years ago, so to censor the documents is absurd.'
He told the Sunday Telegraph he thought it could be the 'very last chance' to solve the case, as the files contained at least four new suspects and other evidence.
Hanbury Street, Whitechapel, east London, today. This was where Annie Chapman was murdered.
The three day hearing - part of a legal battle which has so far cost the taxpayer thousands of pounds - was last week told by a detective inspector, known as D, that disclosing the files could deter informants from helping the police.
Speaking from behind a screen, the Sunday Telegraph reported that the officer - who works in intelligence gathering - said: 'Confidence in the system is maintaining their safety, regardless of age.'
The newspaper also said that Det Supt Julian McKinney said that any release would make officers less able to prevent terrorist attacks and organised crime: 'Regardless of the time, regardless of whether they are dead, they should never be disclosed.
'They come to us only when they have the confidence in our system that their identity will not be disclosed.'
Suspect: Montague John Druitt is one of the men suspected by the Yard of the killings, including that of Lizzy Stride, right
Although there were 11 murders in total, the killings of prostitutes Mary Ann Nichols, Annie Chapman, Elizabeth Stride, Catherine Eddowes and Mary Jane Kelly are considered to be the five key cases as they all occurred in the same small London area of Whitechapel.
All of their throats were cut and several of their internal organs were removed including the uterus and heart.
The Met Police's four suspects for the killings include Aaron Kosminski, Montague John Druitt, Michael Ostrog and Dr Francis J.Tumblety.
The pseudonym Jack the Ripper came from a letter posted to a London news agency at the time of the murders, supposedly from the killer himself but it was later dismissed as a hoax.
Jack the Ripper: Scotland Yard's legal battle to keep files secret 120 years after killings | Mail Online
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