A criminologist has claimed Jack the Ripper could be a meat cart driver from Whitechapel and his blood-splattered appearance may have been what helped him evade justice . Jack the Ripper was a meat cart driver in Whitechapel, who legitimately blood-spattered appearance helped him evade justice, a criminologist has claimed. Dr Gareth Norris from Aberystwyth University believes 'carman' Charles Allen Lechmere, whose early route to work coincided with locations of Ripper killings, should be considered a suspect. Lechmere was found leaning over  victim Mary Ann 'Polly' Nichols' body on Buck's Row in Whitechapel on August 31, 1888 and told police he had only been there a few minutes. But research has revealed that he lied to police about his name, calling himself Cross, and it was likely that he was with her body for about nine minutes. He also passed Hanbury Street, Dorset Street and Mitre Square at roughly the same times as the Ripper killings - while another happened in Berners Street, where his mother lived. It is a theory that joins many others in relation to the string of murders during a three-month period in 1888 when six women were killed on the streets of London's Whitechapel. Their throats were slashed and bodies mutilated but no one was ever caught and 'the Ripper's' identity remains one of the world's greatest crime mysteries. In the years that have passed since the killing spree, many high-profile suspects have been suggested including Prince Albert Victor, the grandson of Queen Victoria and Sir William Gull, the Queen's doctor. Dr Norris, who worked with TV producer David McNab and Swedish journalist Christer Holmgren in a new Channel 5 documentary about the killer, drew up a profile of the likely murderer. He predicted that Jack the Ripper would have been local and able to walk the streets in the early hours without being suspected. Dr Norris said: 'He [Lechmere] would certainly be a person of interest and, while the evidence against him is circumstantial, he would have a case to answer. 'There couldn't feasibly be a re-opening of the case as the Ripper is most certainly deceased by now, but periodically reviews of historical cases can be sanctioned. An illustration of a Victorian meat cart driver, who is weighing dog meat for sale, similar to the job Lechmere had in 1888 . 'Again, there are no living witnesses or forensics of any sort so the basis of any investigation would be slightly flawed. 'Lechmere could be a match for the profile - along with many others - but whether he fits the conspiracy element that fascinates the public is another matter.' Dr Gareth Norris claims that Jack the Ripper could be Charles Allen Lechmere, whose route to work coincided with the killing locations in Whitechapel . He added that because of his job as a meat cart driver, Lechmere would have been 'routinely covered in blood'. David McNab added: 'Lechmere was discovered standing over the body but bizarrely no-one seemed to think that was important.' Dr Norris said investigations in Lechmere's life showed his mother was 'a pivotal figure' for him and he lived very close to her. But two months before the Ripper killings he moved further away to a new address while his daughter remained living with his mother. Dr Norris said that could have been due to some trauma and added: 'A big upheaval in the family just months before the killings could be of some significance.' Barrister James Scobie QC believes Lechmere's early lies and his passing by the murder scenes could have warranted a court case. He said: 'He is somebody who seems to be acting in a way that is suspicious, which a jury would not like. 'When the coincidences mount up against a defendant, it becomes one coincidence too many.' Lechmere died in 1920 and was survived by his wife who eventually passed away on September 12, 1940 in Stratford, east London. An image depicting police discovering one of the victims of the murders in London which took place in 1888 . Several theories have been manufactured over the years concerning the 'Jack the Ripper' killings . Numerous individuals have been accused of being the serial killer. At the time, police suspected the Ripper must have been a butcher, due to the way his victims were killed and the fact they were discovered near to the dockyards, where meat was brought into the city. There are several alleged links between the killer and royals. First is Sir William Gull, the royal physician. Many have accused him of helping get rid of the prostitutes' bodies, while others claim he was the Ripper himself. Another book named Queen Victoria's surgeon Sir John Williams as the infamous killer. He had a surgery in Whitechapel at the time. Another theory links the murders with Queen Victoria's grandson, Prince Albert Victor, the Duke of Clarence. At one point, cotton merchant James Maybrick was the number one suspect, following the publication of some of his diary which appeared to suggest he was the killer. However some believe the diary to be a forgery although no one has been able to suggest who forged it. Other suspects include Montague John Druitt, a Dorset-born barrister. He committed suicide in the Thames seven weeks after the last murder. George Chapman, otherwise known as Severyn Kłosowski, poisoned three of his wives and was hanged in 1903. Another suspected by polive was Aaron Kosminski. He was admitted to Colney Hatch Lunatic Asylum and died there. Dr Thomas Neill Cream, poisoned four London prostitutes with strychnine and was hanged. Some of the more bizarre links include Lewis Carroll, author of the Alice in Wonderland books, who taught at Christ Church until 1881 - which was at the forefront of the Ripper murder scenery. Winston Churchill's father - Lord Randolph Churchill - has also been named as a potential suspect. Crime writer Patricia Cornwell believes she has 'cracked' the case by unearthing evidence that confirms Walter Sickert, an influential artist, as the prime suspect. Her theories have not been generally accepted. While author William J Perring raised the possibility that Jack the Ripper might actually be 'Julia' - a Salvation Army soldier in The Seduction Of Mary Kelly, his novel about the life and times of the final victim, that it was perhaps not 'Jack' the Ripper, but 'Julia' - a Salvation Army soldier. Victims: Catherine Eddowes (left) is said to be Jack the Ripper's third victim while Elizabeth Stride (right) was killed a few hours later .
Dr Gareth Norris believes Charles Allen Lechmere could be a suspect .
Lechmere's early route to work coincided with Ripper killing locations .
He was also found leaning over one of the victims - Polly Nichols .
Dr Norris predicted killer would have been local and walk streets in early hours without suspicion making Lechmere a strong 'person of interest'
A criminologist has claimed Jack the Ripper could be a meat cart driver from Whitechapel and his blood-splattered appearance may have been what helped him evade justice . Jack the Ripper was a meat cart driver in Whitechapel, who legitimately blood-spattered appearance helped him evade justice, a criminologist has claimed. Dr Gareth Norris from Aberystwyth University believes 'carman' Charles Allen Lechmere, whose early route to work coincided with locations of Ripper killings, should be considered a suspect. Lechmere was found leaning over  victim Mary Ann 'Polly' Nichols' body on Buck's Row in Whitechapel on August 31, 1888 and told police he had only been there a few minutes. But research has revealed that he lied to police about his name, calling himself Cross, and it was likely that he was with her body for about nine minutes. He also passed Hanbury Street, Dorset Street and Mitre Square at roughly the same times as the Ripper killings - while another happened in Berners Street, where his mother lived. It is a theory that joins many others in relation to the string of murders during a three-month period in 1888 when six women were killed on the streets of London's Whitechapel. Their throats were slashed and bodies mutilated but no one was ever caught and 'the Ripper's' identity remains one of the world's greatest crime mysteries. In the years that have passed since the killing spree, many high-profile suspects have been suggested including Prince Albert Victor, the grandson of Queen Victoria and Sir William Gull, the Queen's doctor. Dr Norris, who worked with TV producer David McNab and Swedish journalist Christer Holmgren in a new Channel 5 documentary about the killer, drew up a profile of the likely murderer. He predicted that Jack the Ripper would have been local and able to walk the streets in the early hours without being suspected. Dr Norris said: 'He [Lechmere] would certainly be a person of interest and, while the evidence against him is circumstantial, he would have a case to answer. 'There couldn't feasibly be a re-opening of the case as the Ripper is most certainly deceased by now, but periodically reviews of historical cases can be sanctioned. An illustration of a Victorian meat cart driver, who is weighing dog meat for sale, similar to the job Lechmere had in 1888 . 'Again, there are no living witnesses or forensics of any sort so the basis of any investigation would be slightly flawed. 'Lechmere could be a match for the profile - along with many others - but whether he fits the conspiracy element that fascinates the public is another matter.' Dr Gareth Norris claims that Jack the Ripper could be Charles Allen Lechmere, whose route to work coincided with the killing locations in Whitechapel . He added that because of his job as a meat cart driver, Lechmere would have been 'routinely covered in blood'. David McNab added: 'Lechmere was discovered standing over the body but bizarrely no-one seemed to think that was important.' Dr Norris said investigations in Lechmere's life showed his mother was 'a pivotal figure' for him and he lived very close to her. But two months before the Ripper killings he moved further away to a new address while his daughter remained living with his mother. Dr Norris said that could have been due to some trauma and added: 'A big upheaval in the family just months before the killings could be of some significance.' Barrister James Scobie QC believes Lechmere's early lies and his passing by the murder scenes could have warranted a court case. He said: 'He is somebody who seems to be acting in a way that is suspicious, which a jury would not like. 'When the coincidences mount up against a defendant, it becomes one coincidence too many.' Lechmere died in 1920 and was survived by his wife who eventually passed away on September 12, 1940 in Stratford, east London. An image depicting police discovering one of the victims of the murders in London which took place in 1888 . Several theories have been manufactured over the years concerning the 'Jack the Ripper' killings . Numerous individuals have been accused of being the serial killer. At the time, police suspected the Ripper must have been a butcher, due to the way his victims were killed and the fact they were discovered near to the dockyards, where meat was brought into the city. There are several alleged links between the killer and royals. First is Sir William Gull, the royal physician. Many have accused him of helping get rid of the prostitutes' bodies, while others claim he was the Ripper himself. Another book named Queen Victoria's surgeon Sir John Williams as the infamous killer. He had a surgery in Whitechapel at the time. Another theory links the murders with Queen Victoria's grandson, Prince Albert Victor, the Duke of Clarence. At one point, cotton merchant James Maybrick was the number one suspect, following the publication of some of his diary which appeared to suggest he was the killer. However some believe the diary to be a forgery although no one has been able to suggest who forged it. Other suspects include Montague John Druitt, a Dorset-born barrister. He committed suicide in the Thames seven weeks after the last murder. George Chapman, otherwise known as Severyn Kłosowski, poisoned three of his wives and was hanged in 1903. Another suspected by polive was Aaron Kosminski. He was admitted to Colney Hatch Lunatic Asylum and died there. Dr Thomas Neill Cream, poisoned four London prostitutes with strychnine and was hanged. Some of the more bizarre links include Lewis Carroll, author of the Alice in Wonderland books, who taught at Christ Church until 1881 - which was at the forefront of the Ripper murder scenery. Winston Churchill's father - Lord Randolph Churchill - has also been named as a potential suspect. Crime writer Patricia Cornwell believes she has 'cracked' the case by unearthing evidence that confirms Walter Sickert, an influential artist, as the prime suspect. Her theories have not been generally accepted. While author William J Perring raised the possibility that Jack the Ripper might actually be 'Julia' - a Salvation Army soldier in The Seduction Of Mary Kelly, his novel about the life and times of the final victim, that it was perhaps not 'Jack' the Ripper, but 'Julia' - a Salvation Army soldier. Victims: Catherine Eddowes (left) is said to be Jack the Ripper's third victim while Elizabeth Stride (right) was killed a few hours later .
'carman' Charles Allen Lechmere, whose early Lechmere was found leaning over  victim Mary Ann He predicted that Jack the Ripper would have been local and able to walk the streets in the early hours without being suspected. Dr Norris said: 'He [Lechmere] would certainly be a person of matter.' Dr Gareth Norris claims that Jack the route to work coincided with the killing discovering one of the victims of the murders in