In the last few months of 2006, five prostitutes were murdered in Ipswich, Suffolk, by a killer dubbed Jack the Ripper II.
Unlike the original Ripper, this killer has been caught and brought to justice. Forklift truck driver Steve Wright was today found guilty by a jury at Ipswich Crown Court.
The victims' families are saying that Wright should be executed and are calling for Britain to re-introduce the death penalty.
Wright will be sentenced tomorrow, and is expected to spend the rest of his life behind bars.
Britain has Western Europe's largest prison population in sheer numbers and per 100,000 of the population...
Ipswich killer Steve Wright 'deserves to die'
By Bonnie Malkin and agencies
21/02/2008
The Telegraph
The families of two of the prostitutes murdered by forklift-truck driver Steve Wright have called for the reintroduction of the death penalty.
Relatives of Tania Nicol and Paula Clennell have said Wright, who was today convicted of murdering five prostitutes in a six-and-a-half week killing spree in Ipswich, deserved "the ultimate punishment".
Wright, 49, is facing life in jail after being found guilty of murdering Gemma Adams, 25, Tania Nicol, 19, Anneli Alderton, 24, Paula Clennell, 24, and Annette Nicholls, 29.
Tania Nicol, Gemma Adams, Annette Nicholls, Paula Clennell and Anneli Alderton
He will be sentenced tomorrow.
Nicol family liaison officer Detective Constable Nick Shrubshall read out a statement by family at a press conference following the verdict.
"Where a daughter and the other victims were given no human rights by the monster, his will be guarded by the establishment at great cost to the taxpayers of this country and emotionally to the bereaved families," he said.
"The public must insist that this Government look at returning the death penalty for cases such as this, otherwise many more families will go through the same suffering that we have had to endure."
Miss Clennell's family also called for the death penalty, and said they hoped Wright would spend the rest of his life in prison.
Speaking on behalf of Miss Clennell's mother, her brother-in-law Craig Bradshaw said listening to Wright's "lies and excuses" throughout the trial had made her feel sick.
"It's hard to explain the grief, sorrow, hurt and anger my family and I have suffered," he said.
"The pain will never go away.
"I wish we still had the death penalty because that's what he really deserves."
Prosecutor Peter Wright, QC, called on the judge to impose a "whole life term" but Wright's lawyer Timothy Langdale, QC, said he should serve no longer than 30 years in prison.
Dressed in the dark suit, white shirt and pale blue tie he's worn throughout his trial, Wright stood emotionless as the jury foreman read out five guilty verdicts against him.
Flanked by security guards in the dock of Court No 1, he looked forward as the jury returned its guilty verdicts.
As each one was read out, cries of "yes" were heard coming from the public gallery, where the families of three of the dead women had gathered.
The remains of the five women, who all worked as prostitutes in Ipswich, were found in isolated spots near the town during a 10-day period in December 2006.
The jury heard that two of the bodies were posed with their arms outstretched in the form of a crucifix
Detectives launched an inquiry after Miss Nicol vanished in late October 2006.
Prosecutors said Wright "systematically selected and murdered" the prostitutes over a six-and-a-half-week period.
They said he stalked the red-light district near his home when partner Pam Wright, 59, was working nights at a call centre.
During the trial Wright was repeatedly asked whether his numerous links to the women were a coincidence. More than 50 times, Wright replied: "It would seem so, yes".
The court heard that Wright started picking up girls off the street and paying for sex just two weeks before the first of the women disappeared, at the start of Oct 2006.
Giving evidence, Wright said he had sought out vice girls in massage parlours since the age of 25, but opted for girls on the street 18 months ago because they were "cheaper".
Just two and a half weeks after moving in to 79 London Road, he picked up his first prostitute, Ipswich Crown Court heard.
Wright will be sentenced tomorrow
Jurors heard that Wright's DNA was found on three of the women's bodies, blood from two of the women was found on one of his coats and fibres from his home or car were found on all five.
Earlier Wright told the court that Miss Clennell's blood had ended up on a work jacket after she had bitten her tongue.
After the verdict was announced, Wright's brother Keith said: "I'm surprised the verdict has been so quick. I would have thought there is enough things for them to have some doubt.
"I don't know if surprised at the verdict is exactly the right word. I just didn't think it would be so quick. Whatever the sentence, it's all over now."
Born in Norfolk, Wright spent several years in the Merchant Navy, working as a steward on the QE2 before taking a job as manager in a number of pubs.
He returned to Felixstowe in the late 1990s, working as a driver and labourer until his arrest
telegraph.co.uk
Unlike the original Ripper, this killer has been caught and brought to justice. Forklift truck driver Steve Wright was today found guilty by a jury at Ipswich Crown Court.
The victims' families are saying that Wright should be executed and are calling for Britain to re-introduce the death penalty.
Wright will be sentenced tomorrow, and is expected to spend the rest of his life behind bars.
Britain has Western Europe's largest prison population in sheer numbers and per 100,000 of the population...
Ipswich killer Steve Wright 'deserves to die'
By Bonnie Malkin and agencies
21/02/2008
The Telegraph
The families of two of the prostitutes murdered by forklift-truck driver Steve Wright have called for the reintroduction of the death penalty.
Relatives of Tania Nicol and Paula Clennell have said Wright, who was today convicted of murdering five prostitutes in a six-and-a-half week killing spree in Ipswich, deserved "the ultimate punishment".
Wright, 49, is facing life in jail after being found guilty of murdering Gemma Adams, 25, Tania Nicol, 19, Anneli Alderton, 24, Paula Clennell, 24, and Annette Nicholls, 29.
Tania Nicol, Gemma Adams, Annette Nicholls, Paula Clennell and Anneli Alderton
He will be sentenced tomorrow.
Nicol family liaison officer Detective Constable Nick Shrubshall read out a statement by family at a press conference following the verdict.
"Where a daughter and the other victims were given no human rights by the monster, his will be guarded by the establishment at great cost to the taxpayers of this country and emotionally to the bereaved families," he said.
"The public must insist that this Government look at returning the death penalty for cases such as this, otherwise many more families will go through the same suffering that we have had to endure."
Miss Clennell's family also called for the death penalty, and said they hoped Wright would spend the rest of his life in prison.
Speaking on behalf of Miss Clennell's mother, her brother-in-law Craig Bradshaw said listening to Wright's "lies and excuses" throughout the trial had made her feel sick.
"It's hard to explain the grief, sorrow, hurt and anger my family and I have suffered," he said.
"The pain will never go away.
"I wish we still had the death penalty because that's what he really deserves."
Prosecutor Peter Wright, QC, called on the judge to impose a "whole life term" but Wright's lawyer Timothy Langdale, QC, said he should serve no longer than 30 years in prison.
Dressed in the dark suit, white shirt and pale blue tie he's worn throughout his trial, Wright stood emotionless as the jury foreman read out five guilty verdicts against him.
Flanked by security guards in the dock of Court No 1, he looked forward as the jury returned its guilty verdicts.
As each one was read out, cries of "yes" were heard coming from the public gallery, where the families of three of the dead women had gathered.
The remains of the five women, who all worked as prostitutes in Ipswich, were found in isolated spots near the town during a 10-day period in December 2006.
The jury heard that two of the bodies were posed with their arms outstretched in the form of a crucifix
Detectives launched an inquiry after Miss Nicol vanished in late October 2006.
Prosecutors said Wright "systematically selected and murdered" the prostitutes over a six-and-a-half-week period.
They said he stalked the red-light district near his home when partner Pam Wright, 59, was working nights at a call centre.
During the trial Wright was repeatedly asked whether his numerous links to the women were a coincidence. More than 50 times, Wright replied: "It would seem so, yes".
The court heard that Wright started picking up girls off the street and paying for sex just two weeks before the first of the women disappeared, at the start of Oct 2006.
Giving evidence, Wright said he had sought out vice girls in massage parlours since the age of 25, but opted for girls on the street 18 months ago because they were "cheaper".
Just two and a half weeks after moving in to 79 London Road, he picked up his first prostitute, Ipswich Crown Court heard.
Wright will be sentenced tomorrow
Jurors heard that Wright's DNA was found on three of the women's bodies, blood from two of the women was found on one of his coats and fibres from his home or car were found on all five.
Earlier Wright told the court that Miss Clennell's blood had ended up on a work jacket after she had bitten her tongue.
After the verdict was announced, Wright's brother Keith said: "I'm surprised the verdict has been so quick. I would have thought there is enough things for them to have some doubt.
"I don't know if surprised at the verdict is exactly the right word. I just didn't think it would be so quick. Whatever the sentence, it's all over now."
Born in Norfolk, Wright spent several years in the Merchant Navy, working as a steward on the QE2 before taking a job as manager in a number of pubs.
He returned to Felixstowe in the late 1990s, working as a driver and labourer until his arrest
telegraph.co.uk