Ipswich murders in 2006
The fall 2006 series of murders in Ipswich included five women found murdered near Ipswich . The investigation into this criminal case began in mid-December 2006 when the bodies of five women were discovered in various locations near Ipswich, Suffolk . All five victims of this series of murders were prostitutes working in Ipswich . The Suffolk Police combined the five acts into one investigation. The investigative authorities considered the case to be resolved from December 22nd. The press referred to the perpetrator as Ipswich Ripper or Suffolk Ripper, based on Jack the Ripper and the Yorkshire Ripper . The police authorities preferred the name Ipswich Strangler ( strangler of Ipswich).
Circumstances
All five victims were drug addicts prostitutes in the red light district of Ipswich. They disappeared in just one month, an unusually short period for a serial homicide. The last two victims were murdered at a time when the perpetrator was being searched for and 100 police officers were on the scene. All victims were strangled and placed naked within a radius of about 15 kilometers, the last two in the immediate vicinity of the A14 expressway. Only the jewelry was left to the victims. The victims showed no evidence of sexual abuse or signs of fighting. The locations of the bodies were not identical to the crime scenes. Due to the lack of evidence of combat, the police suspected that the victims were drugged before the crime. DNA traces for DNA analysis could be found on the last three victims . This was no longer possible with the first two victims.
Confirmed victims
On December 2, 2006, the body of Gemma A. (25) from Ipswich was discovered in Belstead Brook near Hintlesham. She has been missing since leaving her home on November 15th. A passerby found her body in a body of water at Thorpe's Hill.
Six days later, on December 8th, the body of 19-year-old Tania N. was found in a body of water at Copdock Mill near Ipswich. She was a friend of Gemma A. and was reported missing on October 30th.
On the following Sunday, December 10th, a third victim was found dead by a passerby in a wooded area off the A14 road. The site is near the village of Nacton. She was later than the 24-year-old Anneli A. identified. According to the police, she was strangled. She was three months pregnant when she died.
On December 12, Suffolk Police announced that two more female bodies had been found. Two days later, the police confirmed that one of the bodies was Paula C., 24. She disappeared on December 10th and was last seen in Ipswich. According to the police, she was strangled.
On December 15, the police confirmed that the second body was Annette N. (29) who disappeared on December 5 . The two bodies were also found in Nacton near the Levington junction of the A1156, near the location of Anneli A. A citizen had discovered one of the bodies only six meters from the road, the police found the second body in the course of the first investigation of one Helicopter off.
In addition to the five offenses attributable to this series of murders, there had been several unsolved murders in Suffolk and neighboring counties since 1992. Three of these murders were also committed against prostitutes. The police therefore did not rule out the possibility of a serial killer and included the previous murders in their investigations.
Police measures
Investigations
The investigation into the Ipswich murders was one of the largest homicide searches in British criminal history.
The investigation into the series of murders began when the first victim was reported missing by her mother on November 1, 2006. The mother said the last time she saw her daughter was on October 30, 2006 at 10:30 pm when she left the house to work as a prostitute. On November 15, the second victim was reported missing by her significant other. The police investigation into the missing women began rather hesitantly, only through the press the public was asked for information about the whereabouts of the missing.
After the body of the second missing person was found on December 2 at 11:50 a.m., investigations began with a homicide point of view. It was only on December 8th that police divers found the body of the first victim reported missing. A third victim was found on December 10th.
The criminal case also became an issue in the British House of Commons , in which Tony Blair pledged support and opposition leader David Cameron also called for everything to be done to catch the perpetrator. Support for the local police force came from all over Great Britain , including specialists from the Home Office to autopsy the bodies. A total of 250 officials from other counties were involved in evaluating the leads and clues. By December 15, 2006 alone, 7,300 telephone messages and thousands of messages were received from e-mails. The investigations were also supported by a version of the police computer system HOLMES 2 that has just been developed . This reduced the data synchronization from weeks to hours. As of December 18, the number of officers involved in the investigation had risen to 500, 350 of them from other police departments. 10,000 hours of video recordings alone had to be viewed, the number of calls had now risen to around 10,000. Police databases were compared with recordings of all license plates of the cars in the red light district, which were recorded by special cameras that work with text recognition . As a result, matches between vehicle owners and entries in the criminal record were sought. A newspaper and a private individual offered a reward of £ 250,000 for clues leading to the arrest of the perpetrator. The police contacted 300 people who had suspected sex crimes and were able to narrow the number of suspects to an initial 50 to 100 people. Finally, video recordings of the last victim on his last train journey were published in order to obtain information from the population about the last hours of the victim.
On December 17, 2006, a 37-year-old supermarket clerk gave an interview to the Sunday Mirror in which he boasted that he was acquainted with all of the victims and said he had no alibis . Both this man and 48-year-old forklift operator Steve Wright were arrested on December 18. On December 21, the supermarket employee was released subject to conditions. Steve Wright was charged with murder that same day. This was done under time pressure, as under British law the suspect should have been released after 96 hours without charge.
The suspect is said to have been noticed in the neighborhood as very quiet and well dressed. He is said to have never worn jeans and had a tendency to be fussy. His partner is said to have sought the couple's circle of friends. He used to work as a steward on the " Queen Elizabeth 2 ". Nevertheless, the accused is said to have regularly visited prostitutes in a wig and in high heels or in military clothing and lived in the immediate vicinity of the red light district of Ipswich.
Preventive action
In addition to the investigative measures, measures to avert danger were also taken by the authorities. Criminal psychologists assumed that the perpetrator was nearing the end of his career as a serial perpetrator because of the short intervals between the murders and that his urge was no longer under control. According to the assessment of the police authorities, there was a risk that the perpetrator would not only limit himself to prostitutes, but could also attack other women. At first only the police patrols in Ipswich were reinforced, on the one hand to carry out the investigation, but on the other hand also to ensure security. In addition, drug and social assistance patrolled. Still, this did not prevent the last two victims from disappearing at a time when there was already a massive police presence in the red light district of Ipswich. On December 10th, the police called on Suffolk's prostitutes to stop working on the streets. It was generally advised to only move in groups, not to hitchhike and generally to be careful. In addition, personal alarm devices were issued for two pounds each, which emit a siren sound when operated. 2,000 devices were handed in until supplies were exhausted. Despite the warnings, the prostitutes continued to work because they needed the money for drugs and in some cases also for Christmas gifts. The later victim Paula C. justified this accordingly shortly before her disappearance. Their security measures consisted of obtaining a personal alarm and carrying a brick as a defense weapon. It was only after the fifth body was found that the Suffolk County Council pledged state aid to drug addict prostitutes, although the authorities assumed the funds raised would be spent on drugs. An anonymous charity also donated money so that it could be distributed to the 40 or so prostitutes of the Ipswich street.
Media reactions
Before the bodies were found, the majority of the missing persons were only reported in the local Ipswich media. The BBC didn't start reporting until the body of Tania N. was found. After Anneli Alderton's discovery, reporting expanded to a national and international level. The news channels SkyNews and BBC News 24 concentrated in the following period mainly on this series of murders.
The media made connections between the Ipswich murders and the acts of Peter Sutcliffe ("Yorkshire Ripper"), who murdered thirteen women in northern England between 1975 and 1980, most of whom worked as prostitutes. There were also parallels to Jack the Ripper , who was also after prostitutes.
An ITV News Anglia Tonight reporter interviewed Paula C. about the first murders a few days before she went missing herself. She talked about being afraid of getting into the car to see customers, but continued to work to fund her drug addiction.
After the second suspect was arrested, prosecutors urged the media to reduce their coverage. The reason for this was that the public prosecutor saw a fair trial as endangered by a prejudice and massive media coverage.
Political debate
Also in the context of press coverage, more attention has been paid to a number of controversial issues:
The first is that of prostitution in the UK. The existing laws have long been criticized. The Blair government announced in January 2006 that it would change the legislation on prostitution, but has not pursued the plan. While prostitution per se is not prohibited in the UK, it is.
The murders highlighted the vulnerability of the prostitutes, as well as the inadequacy of government measures. It has been suggested that prostitution should be punished, thereby reducing the number of prostitutes on the streets, or that suitors should be prosecuted in order to reduce the demand for love for sale. On the other hand, brothels should be legalized and other measures taken to protect women.
The second issue is that of substance abuse. Many (95%, according to the UK Home Office) of street prostitutes in the UK have had a history of drug use and use prostitution as a way to finance their drug addiction. The series of murders boosted initiatives to support street prostitutes in Ipswich and assist with rehab.
The third question is about a possible restructuring of the British police forces . In 2005 the government proposed a merger of smaller police forces with corresponding neighboring authorities for England and Wales. The aim was to use the new authorities to become more effective in larger undertakings (counter-terrorism, drug trafficking and other similarly complex areas). Savings are also expected. However, in July 2006 these plans were postponed.
Legal proceedings
The trial against the Defendant Steven Wright began on December 21, 2006 with the hearing in the Ipswich Magistrates Court. The judges decided that urgent suspicion exists against Steven Wright of murder and he therefore to process safety in pre-trial detention is spent. When the arrest warrant was issued, the proceedings were forwarded to the Ipswich District Court (Ipswich Crown Court) responsible for the main proceedings.
After a hearing on January 2, 2007, the district court ordered the defendant to be further detained. It also ordered another demonstration for May 1st. While in custody, the accused protested his innocence in a three-page letter. He is incapable of such acts and hopes to wake up to find that the nightmare is over.
On January 14, 2008, the trial of Steven Wright began in the Ipswich District Court with keen public and media interest. Some members of the press had to watch the trial on a video screen in an adjoining building because there was not enough space in the courtroom.
The trial ended on February 22nd with a guilty verdict. Steven Wright was sentenced to life imprisonment. The basis of the verdict after a circumstantial trial was on the one hand the evidence with the genetic fingerprint , then the video recordings from the red light district , each of which showed a dark Ford Mondeo Mark III, as well as traces of fibers and blood in Wright's house and vehicle. He himself emphatically refused to make any statement. In March 2008 he appealed to the Court of Appeal an appeal against the conviction in London (Court of Appeal). The appeal was based on the lack of a fair trial . He was not adequately represented by his lawyers and the police did not sufficiently investigate other leads. The appeal was dismissed in July 2008.
Individual evidence
- ↑ Page no longer available , search in web archives: Augsburger Allgemeine , December 14, 2006
- ↑ Financial Times Deutschland of December 13, 2006 ( Memento of January 8, 2007 in the Internet Archive )
- ↑ NZZ of December 17, 2006 ( page no longer available , search in web archives ) Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ Spiegel-Online from December 20, 2006
- ↑ Unexplained murders of prostitutes are being re-rolled . In: Die Welt , December 21, 2006.
- ↑ Alleged murderer disguised himself as a woman . In: Die Welt , December 23, 2006.
- ^ Spiegel online, December 14, 2006
- ↑ NZZ , December 21, 2006 ( page no longer available , search in web archives ) Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. , BBC, December 13, 2006
- ^ Spiegel online, December 20, 2006
- ↑ Representation of the investigation process by the Suffolk Constabulary ( Memento of the original from June 12, 2007 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. on your website
- ↑ Financial Times Deutschland of December 13, 2006 ( Memento of January 8, 2007 in the Internet Archive )
- ↑ Press release of the Suffolk Constabulary of December 16, 2006 ( Memento of the original of December 16, 2007 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link has been inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ^ Mark Dye: IT proves its point as killer brought to justice . ITPro, October 17, 2008.
- ↑ BBC, December 18, 2006
- ↑ ORF ( page no longer available , search in web archives ) Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ Financial Times Deutschland , December 13, 2006 ( Memento of September 29, 2007 in the Internet Archive )
- ↑ BBC, December 17, 2006
- ↑ Handelsblatt , December 17, 2006
- ↑ Interview in the Sunday Mirror of December 17, 2006
- ↑ NZZ , December 22, 2006 ( page no longer available , search in web archives ) Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. , Spiegel Online, December 20, 2006
- ^ Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung , December 22, 2006 , Spiegel Online, December 20, 2006
- ↑ Tagesspiegel , December 22, 2006
- ↑ See the safety instructions of the Suffolk Constabulary ( Memento of the original dated December 6, 2013 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. .
- ↑ The Fears of Ipswich . In: FAZ , December 13, 2006
-
↑ n24.de of December 13, 2006 :,
Handelsblatt , December 13, 2006 ( Memento of the original of September 30, 2007 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. , Search for the "Suffolk Shrike" . In: Zeit online , December 18, 2006. Fear of the new “Jack the Ripper” . ( Page no longer available , search in web archives ) Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. In: FAZ , December 13, 2006
- ↑ Michael Horsnell, Sean O'Neill: Another Yorkshire Ripper feared . ( Memento of the original from February 29, 2008 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. In: The Australian , December 13, 2006
- ↑ Tagesspiegel , December 22, 2006 , Handelsblatt , December 22, 2006 ( page no longer available , search in web archives ) Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ^ Mary Ann Sieghart: Drugs: why we should medicalize, not criminalize . In: The Times , December 14, 2006.
- ↑ Deborah Orr: Why these women are paying the price of a zero tolerance approach to street prostitution . ( Memento of the original from January 13, 2007 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. In: The Independent , December 13, 2006
- ↑ Simon Heffer: Drugs are the curse of our land and turn women into prostitutes . In: Telegraph , December 13, 2006.
- ^ Mary Ann Sieghart: Drugs: why we should medicalize, not criminalize . In: The Times , December 14, 2006.
- ^ Paying the Price: a consultation paper on prostitution . ( Memento of the original from December 9, 2006 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. Home office
- ↑ Liz MacKean: Ipswich fights shadow of prostitution . BBC News, Aug 28, 2007
- ^ Government scraps police merger plan . In: The Guardian , July 12, 2006
- ↑ Man remanded over Suffolk murders BBC News
- ↑ a b Barbara Hans: Ipswich murders - five dead, two suspects, one trial . Spiegel-Online, January 14, 2008
- ↑ Is the "Strangler of Ipswich" really on trial? FAZ.net , January 16, 2008
- ↑ Welt.de of February 22, 2008
- ^ 'Suffolk strangler' Steve Wright to appeal against conviction . Times-Online, March 19, 2008 (English)
- ↑ Strangler bid to appeal refused . In: The Sun , July 3, 2008 (English)
