Did JTR have sex with his victims?

[JTRSickert]

I was just curious if anyone had any opinion if, on some prior occasion, JTR may have been a client or even a "regular" for one or more of his victims? If so, did this give them reason to trust him, even after the "Ripper" scare was the talk of the East End? Also, do we know of any frequent clients that may have been mentioned in any of the books that the canonical 5 (or others) may have had. The only ones I can think of are Ted Stanley ("The Pensioner)" and Harry the Hawker for Annie Chapman. Also, George Hutchinson's statement that he knew Mary Kelly for some years and occasionally gave her money can be looked at as an implication that he was a "regular" of hers too.

[Adam Went]

It wouldn't surprise me, JT. The general concensus seems to be that Jack was most likely a single man, which if this was the case, would make it more likely that he would be atleast a casual customer of prostitutes in the area - and he may have happened upon some of his victims in this way.

It seems likely that at some point George Hutchinson had something stronger than just a friendship with Mary Kelly - whether he was a regular client of hers or they had been in an actual relationship at one point, we can only guess. The suggestion that Israel Schwartz actually heard the attacker saying "Lizzy" instead of "Lipski", if true, would indicate that he previously knew her as well.

I can't think of any men in particular that frequented the prostitutes. I know that they did quite a bit of business when boats were in the London Docks and the sailors came into town....likewise, when military men/soldiers were at home base as well. I read a story once in the studies of Henry Mayhew where he was interviewing a particular prostitute and she pointed to the barman at the pub and told Mayhew that he "was a particular friend of hers".

So there definitely was cases where male clients might have a favourite prostitute who they would go and visit.....however, these were usually younger, attractive women. Jack's victims, all except one aged in their 40's, were past their prime, and would have been less likely to have clients such as these. Regular clients they may have had in the past would probably have moved on to somebody younger - MJK, as an apparently attractive young woman, might have had some regulars, but I can't imagine it for the others.

In any case, a known regular client of the victims was running the risk of being named by a fellow lodger or associate of the victim, and having suspicion placed on them by the police. This is why, I think, Jack chosed to kill women he had little or no relationship with.

Cheers,
Adam.