Victoria Hall murder accused has convictions for five murders, court told

A man accused of murdering 17-year-old Victoria Hall more than 25 years ago has previous convictions for murdering five other women, it can be reported.

Victoria, from Trimley St Mary in Suffolk, had left her home on the evening of September 18 1999 for a night out with a friend at the Bandbox nightclub in Felixstowe.

Five days later her body was found in a ditch in Creeting St Peter, around 25 miles from where she was last seen.

Steve Wright, 66, formerly of London Road, Ipswich, has pleaded not guilty to Victoria’s kidnap and murder as well as the attempted kidnap of a second female in Felixstowe.

Ahead of Wright’s Old Bailey trial next month, Mr Justice Bennathan ruled that the jury could be told about his previous convictions for five other murders.

The defendant appeared in court by videolink from HMP Long Lartin for the pre-trial hearing on Wednesday.

He was remanded into custody to await his Old Bailey trial which is due to start on February 2.