Forensic anthropologist Xanthe Mallett hosted the hypothetical debate which was designed to complement an exhibition currently running at Legal Minds which explores a chilling connection between Armidale and the grisly murders.

The debate, held in the Armidale Courthouse on Sunday afternoon saw a panel including two detective sergeants Roger Best and Mark Crotty, doctor Brian Glover, psychologist Caroline Croft, magistrate Mark Richardson, criminal lawyer Paul Sattler from UNE, member for Northern Tablelands Richard Torbay and ABC journalist Kelly Fuller.

Dr Mallett questioned the members of the panel on the roles they would each play if a series of Jack The Ripper style murders were committed in Armidale in 2012.

Topics up for discussion included the criminal investigation, press involvement, the role of social media and legal proceedings.

Magistrate Mark Richardson said he would not necessarily recommend that a case of such a high-profile nature be moved outside of Armidale. 

“An Armidale jury would be no more likely to be affected by bias than in jury in Sydney,” he said. 

Mr Torbay said he thought that those kinds of crimes would take a devastating toll on the city.

“”The reputation of fear and insecurity would be massively damaging in any community,” he said. 

“If they happened in a rural community like this, the negative aspects would develop far quicker.”

The hypothetical debate was born from the discovery by local historians that physician Charles Alfred Hebbert, who spent the final years of his life in Armidale had worked on the Jack The Ripper and Thames Torso murders in London. 

The Touching Fingers with Jack The Ripper exhibition will run  from Wednesday through Friday until November 30 at the Legal Minds office from 11.30am-1.30pm and 4.30pm-5.30pm.