Was Prolific Murderer 'Jack the Stripper' A Local Man?
Cold case investigators reveal new 'prime suspect' was living in Wandsworth
A BBC documentary has brought to light new evidence which points to a metalworker, Harold Jones - living locally as Harry Stevens - as being 'Jack the Stripper', a serial killer behind the horrific deaths of six prostitutes in West London in the 1960s.
15-year-old Harold Jones
Harry Jones, as a teen, had already murdered two young girls in his Welsh home town in 1921. He pleaded guilty to the murders in Abertillery, Wales and went to Wandsworth Prison where he remained until 1941 being released despite concerns within the prison that he showed sexual sadistic tenancies and that he showed no remorse for his crimes. Modern criminal psychologists in the documentary said in this day he would not be released and that he would have received treatment for his sexual crimes. At following his release 35-year-old Jones joined the Army, where he stayed for five years, and then worked and lived in London, marrying and changing his name to Harry Stevens - his mother's maiden name.
Neil Milkins
In 1984 a local newspaper story about the two girls murdered in Abertillery caught the eye of author Neil Milkins. Neil went on to write a book in May 2008 called 'Every Mother's Nightmare - Abertillery in Mourning' All profits from this book were donated to a local charity run care home.
Following publication Neil was contacted in July 2008, by a Mark Buchan Jones from Manchester, who had read the book. Neil says, "Mark said his father was named Harold Kenneth Jones after his birth in 1923 but was known as Harold Jones. Owing to the raised eyebrows over the name that was still on the lips of many just a few years after the Abertillery murders, Harold Jones was then referred to as Kenneth Jones. Mark said that he had read a story on the Internet that I had posted appealing for information about Harold Jones the killer. Mark suggested googling a website about Jack the Stripper which I did. The dates of the murders coincided exactly with the dates that I had been unable to trace Jones in London. The information I was given led me to find Jones living in Putney and filled in vital missing gaps. Not for 1 minute since 23 July 2008 have I had any doubts who Jack The Stripper was."
In 2014 Neil posted on the Wandsworthsw18.com forum: "I am convinced that former Fulham, Putney and Hammersmith resident Harold Jones was responsible for 8 unsolved murders in the Hammersmith district between 1959 and 1965, which includes 3 at Chiswick."
Neil Milkins worked with David Wilson, a professor of criminology at Birmingham City University and a former prison governor, as he investigated the killings in Wales and those of 'Jack The Stripper'. He says, “It is really important that we try and get justice for the families of these women even if the crimes were committed in the 1960s, and in Harold Jones we are giving to the police evidence that they never had at the time and he emerges as a prime suspect."
In 2011, Neil published his second book; 'Who Was Jack the Stripper?: The Hammersmith Nudes' Murders' with a foreword from Professor Wilson.
An older Harold Jones/Stevens - did he murder Ignac Ulycz?
Neil has shared his research and beliefs with the cold-case team at the Met Police who are actively researching Jones' possible involvement in the murder of Ignac Ulycz in Putney in August 1965. At 10.45 pm on Sunday 15 August 1965, Mr Ignac Ulycz was fatally stabbed outside his own front gate at 323 Upper Richmond Road and his wife Maddalena Ulycz told the police the assailant was between 50 and 60 years old. Jones was 59. Another witness said that the attacker had run around the corner into Colinette Road and just seemed to vanish into thin air - Jones had been living in 20 Colinette Road. The Wandsworth Borough News on Friday 24 September 1965 reported on the inquest into the death of Mr Ulycz: "The man who killed Mr Ulycz........may have been insane or a psychopath who every now and again feels the desire to attack someone in this way," suggested the Coroner Mr Gavin Thurston.
Regulars on the forum will recognise Neil's name as he has regularly requested local knowledge since 2008. He told this website that he has found it a very useful source of information.
February 14, 2019