Rhynwick Williams
Rhynwick Williams (born 1767, date of death unknown) also known as Renwick Williams was a man accused and convicted in 1790 of being the "London Monster", a man who purportedly went around stabbing beautiful women non-fatally in the buttocks with a variety of sharp cutting implements.
Williams, who worked as an artificial flower-maker, claimed to have witness-confirmed alibis for the major Monster attacks, but he was firmly identified by several victims (although not all of them) as the attacker. His main alibi was heavily questioned in court, although some have nevertheless viewed it as a fairly good alibi. Amidst an atmosphere of great public hostility towards Williams, he was ultimately convicted and sentenced to six years in prison; he was released in December 1796.
Mass hysteria appears to have played a considerable role in the events surrounding the London Monster, and it is uncertain to what extent, if any, Rhynwick Williams was responsible for the various attacks.
References
- Jan Bondeson, The London Monster (2000).