However Robert Paul’s own statement includes the mention of gangs operating in the area

I agree...a more realistic Theory. Murder then was low, as one would be hung. The word 'BULLY' comes up a lot in this case which meant then a Gang of thugs, Landlords were rich owners of slums running the 'rents with harsh rules, Yes, I think too it was an organised crime racket. Interesting stuff ...

Career criminals are no more likely to be serial killers, than a random person picked off the street. This is a total dead end in terms of identifying the Ripper. However it is an interesting subject in its own right. People lived in fear of gangs of this nature, in many cities in the UK, between the late 1900s and the first world war. Birmingham, Sheffield, and Glasgow were particularly bad. The Peaky Blinders are the most famous example, but whatever the BBC tells you, they were stamped out by the early 20s.

Emma Smith said she was attacked by 3 men. But she was attacked in a very different way. This theory reminds me of Randy Williams. Owen, have you heard of him and his theory? It’s interesting.

This is the first time I've heard this theory. I think it's plausible, but I would think that if this gang had established enough of a presence in Whitechapel to have done this, there would be more evidence of them having been there. They probably would have been shaking down other people besides prostitutes for money. Also, it's widely believed that Nichols, Chapman, and Eddowes, and probably Kelly too, were all killed by the same person, and I'd think that if a gang were doing this, it wouldn't always be the same person doing the killing. I agree about that not being where the name Jack the Ripper came from. That came from the Dear Boss letter, which was probably written by a journalist. But note that Levy wasn't the only one unwilling to testify. Anderson and Swanson said that the only person to get a good look at Jack the Ripper identified him, but was unwilling to testify. They thought that was because the witness was unwilling to testify against a fellow Jew, but maybe they were wrong about why he wouldn't testify.

Terrific Research, Owen...Emma Smith in early 1888 said she was attacked by a gang and then passed a day later, I think....Possibly Martha Tabram likewise, though did not survive the attack, but those 2 crimes, which are not of the canonical 5, cud quite well have been done by this High Rip Gang, Owen....The 5 Official JTR crimes not done by a gang, as they had no reason to take body parts and if they were stand-over guys in a gang, the Increased Police Presence, Vigilante Groups, Undercover Police, Reporters and Roving Gangs looking to catch JTR, wud have nabbed them, especially if they were from Liverpool and not locals, Owen...Joseph Lawende identified one suspect in Mitre Square, but I understand your view of Joseph Levy and his testimony, as he was confusing with his estimation of the height of the suspect as 5 foot 3, the same as Jacob Levy's Height. Strange thing to say if he recognised Jacob and wanted to point the investigators in the wrong direction...Maybe he didn't want to say he saw a gang, but the Police went with Lawende's Testimony and a 5 foot 8 or 9 suspect, as he got a good look at the person....No one saw gangs around in any of the canonical 5 crimes and Charles Lechmere wud have seen a gang around Polly Nichols, as the time of death was close to when he found her or killed her, whichever, eh Owen......There is a Recent Theory that Louis Diemschutz had a gang of jewish guys that committed the JTR crimes, but I'll leave that one to U to check-out, as it seems a bit of a stretch, just like the High Rip Gang, eh Owen...Wonder if John Lennon's Grand Dad or Great Grand Dad was in this High Rip Gang in Liverpool, eh Owen...Boggles the mind, but Peaky Blinders pretty cool stuff, as well....RDS said a Doctor in London Hospital Whitechapel by the name of Dr. Morgan Davies was JTR, but very likely it was RDS that was JTR, IMHO, Owen. Cheers fm Damo😀

Interesting for sure I just think their name would have cropped up a lot more especially when the vigilance committee was formed and patrolling the streets and there’s written documentation from several senior police officers too ! The presence of a high profile gang would surely be better authenticated

I'm so glad you didn't forget the beetroot! But really Mr Inbetween beets PBlinders any day of the week with a y in it. Stand over man, now what is the origin of that?