Jan Bondeson, The London Monster: A Sanguinary Tale

Last year I read a book by Jan Bondeson called “The London Monster; A Sanguinary Tale” about a series of attacks on women in London between 1788 and 1790.

“The London Monster” (there were probably more than one) first appeared in 1788. Victims reported being harassed and followed by a man calling out obscenities to them. He would then cut them, usually in the buttocks or hips with a long blade. Some claim he had blades attached to his knees and came up behind them and plunged the blades into their buttocks. There were even times when women would be asked to smell a nosegay then a blade (hidden inside) was used to cut the face.
The assailant would escape before help arrived (there was only a small official police presence in London at the time) but not before leering at the women, seemingly in no hurry to leave.
In two years the number of reported victims amounted to more than 50.
Women attempted to protect their bottoms with metal pans secreted below their dresses over their buttocks and there was a brisk trade in copper petticoats.

Eventually Rhenwick Williams was arrested and imprisoned for 6 years after a laughable court case where his 7 alibi witnesses were discredited and ignored by the judge.

Recommended…if for no other reason, it puts the hoodie and happy slapping panic into some kind of perspective.