Experts claim a fundamental error has been made in identifying a Leavesden asylum patient as Victorian serial killer Jack the Ripper.

Up until now, patient Aaron Kosminski had been the prime suspect in the shocking 1888 Whitechapel murders, however an apparent error has been noticed by crime enthusiasts in Australia blogging on the casebook.org website.

Experts found that scientist Dr Louhelainen made a basic mistake in his calculations when analysing DNA extracted from a shawl supposedly found near the body of Ripper victim, Catherine Eddowes.

His error means that virtually anyone could have left the DNA that Dr Louhelainen insisted came from the victim's body.

Martin Brooks said: "It is very unfortunate that Dr Louhelainen has apparently not followed standard DNA testing procedures and double checks but this does not necessarily mean that Aaron Kosminski, former resident of Leavesden Hospital, is not still a very good candidate for being Jack the Ripper.

"If you look at all the overall forensic psychology of the case and the suspect - Kosminski was known to the police at the time of the murders as being an individual of concern and he was reported to have had only some knowledge of the use of the weapon(s) used in the murders.

"He was also reported to have had a sexually transmitted disease, which he allegedly contracted from a Whitechapel prostitute (hence his anger towards women of that profession), and he was judged by the admitting doctor to have been insane for two years prior to his admittance.

"The doctor also stated that Kosminski had been abused by his mother at some point in his life.

"All this evidence combined suggests to me that he could have committed the murders and is still a legitimate suspect, even if the DNA test is not conclusive."