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The body of infamous Victorian murderer Jack the Ripper's final victim is likely to be exhumed following the release of a new theory on the identity of the killer.
After seeing the new theory, the Ministry of Justice has indicated it will grant an exhumation licence for the grave of East End prostitute Mary Jane Kelly, the first such license to be issued for the grave of one of the Ripper's victims.
The theory has been detailed in a new book, The Real Mary Kelly , written by Dr Wynne Weston-Davies.
As reported in The Telegraph
An illustration shows police officers discovering the body of one of the Ripper's victims (Hulton Archive/Getty Images) Dr Weston-Davies believes he killed Kelly, his wife, as an act of revenge after she secretly returned to prostitution shortly after they married in 1885.
He adds that the murders of four other women acted as a 'cover' for his act of vengeance - making the crime seem like the work of a serial killer, not a spurned husband.
Dr Weston-Davies also believes that Kelly was his great-aunt - something he intends to prove through DNA testing on the body.
Requests to exhume Kelly's body have been made before and denied, but Dr Weston-Davies believes his possible family connection to her was what made his application more successful.
Show all 20 1 /20Britain's 20 most haunted places Britain's 20 most haunted places 20. Pendle Hill, Lancashire Pendle Hill, located in the east of Lancashire is at number twenty on our list for its ghosts associated with the 1612 witchcraft panic that had led to the hanging of 10 people on Gallows Hill near Williamson Park. The hill used to be regularly visited on Halloween by those keen to catch a glimpse of something spooky. It is said, however, that many locals refuse to visit the hill due to reports of sinister sightings
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Britain's 20 most haunted places 19. The Old Bailey, London At the Old Bailey, London's main criminal court there are reports of sighting of a figure of unclear sex during important trials. In the early 19th century you could buy all-inclusive execution holiday breaks for pounds 10 which included bed and breakfast in the Magpie and Stump opposite; there were fine views of the hangings. Among the many Old Bailey ghosts is one Mrs Dire, a notorious "baby farmer".
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Britain's 20 most haunted places 18. Highgate Cemetry, London Highgate Cemetery has some of the finest funerary architecture in the country and is the resting place of many notable individuals including the novelist George Eliot, the poet Christina Rossetti and of course Karl Marx. If stories are to be believed it is also home to many weird goings on. During the 1960s there were reports of sinister cults carrying out strange rituals in the grounds at night. Witnesses have claimed to have seen a ghostly cyclist, and an old woman racing between the graves searching for the children she allegedly murdered
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Britain's 20 most haunted places 17. Llancaiach Fawr Manor, Caerphilly Llancaiach Fawr Manor, Caerphilly has been named one of the top ten haunted places in Britain many times. The figure of a nineteenth century housekeeper known as Mattie is the most famous sighting. She is often heard in the bed chamber where she reportedly died. The ghost of a little boy who fell to his death is also said to haunt the rooms
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Britain's 20 most haunted places 16. Sir George Mackenzie's tomb, Edinburgh The Mackenzie poltergeist is one of the most well-documented cases of a malevolent haunting in British history. John Mackenzie was the king's advocate for Charles II and was responsible for the deaths of approximately 18,000 covenanters during the 1600s. His tomb and the surrounding cemetery has allegedly recorded some 500 poltergeist attacks
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Britain's 20 most haunted places 15. Plas Teg Mansion, Flintshire Plas Teg, a Jacobean house near the the village of Pontblyddyn, Flintshire between Wrexham and Mold, is said to be one of Wales' most haunted buildings. One of its late owners was the infamous 'hanging' Judge Jeffries, who is thought to have held court in the home and had people convicted and hanged in the dining room. Reports of paranormal activity include heavy breathing in one bedroom and the spirit of a young girl appearing in the Blue Bedroom
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Britain's 20 most haunted places 14. South Bridge Vaults, Edinburgh The murky darkness of the black Mausoleum and Covenanter's Prison in Edinburgh appear to be excellent hunting ground for spook spotters. The murky forgotten chambers beneath the ground were reportedly used by the serial killers Burke and Hare for their stomach-churning medical experiments
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Britain's 20 most haunted places 13. Culloden Moor, near Inverness The battles of Culloden Moor occurred during the Jacobite Risings. Over 5,400 Jacobites took part in the battle and many died at the hands of the Hanoverian troops who were noted for being merciless and brutal. Visitor have reported hearing the clashing of swords at the site. Reported Jacobite ghosts include the appearance of a spirit soldier under a tartan cloth on a grave mound. Legend also says that birds will not sing at the site of the battle
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Britain's 20 most haunted places 12. The Ten Bells pub, London The Ten Bells pub is associated with the grisly murderous history of Spitalfields in the East End of London. It is notable for its association with two of Jack The Ripper's victims, Mary Kelly and Annie Chapman. It is believed that Annie Chapman drank in the pub the night she was murdered. Now a lively pub in the past staff had reported seeing a ghostly old man dressed in Victorian clothing
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Britain's 20 most haunted places 11. Westminster Abbey, City of London Perhaps surprisingly for a church so steeped in Royal and aristocratic history, Westminister Abbey's two most famous ghosts have humble origins. A tall cowled figure, known as 'Father Benedictus' is thought to be the spirit of a monk killed in the abbey during the reign of Henry VIII. There are also reports of a soldier in uniform appearing near the grave of the Unknown Warrior
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Britain's 20 most haunted places 10. The Ancient Ram Inn, Wotten-under-Edge, Gloucestershire The Ancient Ram Inn, in Wotton-u-Edge, Gloucestershire is reputedly the most Haunted House in Britain. Some believe that the spirit of a woman burned at the stake during the 1500s haunts one of the rooms of the house. Other spirits have also been spotted including that of a centurion on horseback and a ghostly monk
Britain's 20 most haunted places 9. The Jamaica Inn, Cornwall Perhaps Cornwall's most famous smuggling inn the Jamaica Inn is considered one of Britain's most haunted places. Reports exist of a man in a hat and cloak making spooky appearances in a corridor and the sound of ghostly horses' hooves on a moonlit night
Britain's 20 most haunted places 8. Berry Pomeroy Castle, near Totness, Devon Situated in an isolated part of Devon, Berry Pomeroy Castle is rumoured to be home to a ghost known as the White Lady who haunts the dungeons and rises from St. Margaret's Tower to the castle ramparts. Visitors who have witnessed the spirit are said to have feelings of fear and malevolence on seeing her
Britain's 20 most haunted places 7. Ben Macdhui mountain, Scotland This mountain is often described as one of Britain's most haunted places, although the 'thing' that reportedly haunts the mountain is - depending on the story you hear - either a ghost or a Yeti type creature. Known as the The Grey Man of Ben MacDhui the creature is described as a dark phantom three times the height of a man. He reportedly stalks the peak of the mountain
Britain's 20 most haunted places 6. Ruthin Gaol, Denbighshire, North Wales Visitors to the site of the Old Gaol, which was a place of imprisonment from 1654, have reported witnessing the presence of a spirit known as William. The spirit is thought to be William Hughes, the only person to be executed at the gaol
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Britain's 20 most haunted places 5. Michelham Priory, Sussex Michelham Priory, an historic building in Sussex, is famous for reports of ghosts and other paranormal activity. It is claimed the house is frequently host to poltergeist activity and visitations from a spirit known as the Grey Lady who has been seen at the bridge and gatehouse
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Britain's 20 most haunted places 4. Hampton Court Palace, London The palace is infamous for its Royal ghosts, the spirits of Henry VIII's unfortunate wives Catherine Howard and Jane Seymour along with Edward VI's nursemaid, Mistress Penn, are all reputed to have made an appearance
Britain's 20 most haunted places 3. Glamis Castle, Angus, Scotland There are a mass of reported sightings of various spooks and ghouls at this Scottish castle. Among their eerie inhabitants include a woman without a tongue, who allegedly wanders the grounds, and the ghost of a young servant boy who is seen sitting outside the Queen's room
Britain's 20 most haunted places 2. The Village of Pluckley, Kent Pluckley has a reputation for being the most haunted village in Britain, indeed it was recognised as such in the 1989 Guiness Book of World records.The village, in the Ashford district of Kent and close to the North Downs, reportedly has between 12 and 16 ghosts, including 'The Screaming Man' whose howls of agony are heard in the area of the village Brickworks and are reputed to come from the spirit of a man killed after a wall of clay fell on him
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Britain's 20 most haunted places 1. The Tower of London It's probably no surprise that the Tower of London tops our list of most haunted places. The Tower claims to host the spirit of a ghostly White Lady along with the mournful spirit of Henry VI. Over its 900 year history it has acquired a fearsome reputation for hosting a range of ghouls including the ghosts of Thomas Becket and Anne Boleyn
The Ministry of Justice has said it is willing to grant the licence, on the condition that Dr Weston-Davies can produce a letter from a laboratory willing to do the DNA testing, and that a notice of the exhumation is posted on the grave for three months.
He hopes that by proving the body in Kelly's grave is indeed her through DNA testing, the link between her and Francis Craig will be more certain and his theory will have stronger evidence than before.
The murderer called Jack the Ripper is believed to have killed at least five women, all of them prostitues, in the Whitechapel area of London in 1888.
Hundreds of theories as to the murderer's true identity exist, but it is likely that the real answer will never be known.
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