'Suffolk Strangler' smirks as judge tells him he will die behind bars for murdering teenager Victoria Hall in 1999
A serial killer known as the 'Suffolk Strangler' has been sentenced for the kidnap and murder of a 17-year-old girl more than 26 years ago.
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Victoria Hall went missing on her way home from a nightclub in Felixstowe in September 1999.
Her naked body was discovered in a water-filled ditch five days later. Forensic pathologists said it is likely she had been killed within a few hours of last being seen, the court heard.
On Friday, Steve Wright, 67, was sentenced to a further 40 years for the crime.
The former steward on the QE2 is already serving a whole-life sentence after being found guilty of murdering five other women near Ipswich in 2006.
Only the night before the murder, Wright had attempted to abduct newlywed Emily Doherty, 22, who ran, hid and sought refuge in a couple's house to escape.
Prosecutor Jocelyn Ledward KC said: "On the weekend of 18-19 September 1999, the defendant, driving his burgundy Ford Granada Scorpio, was on the prowl in Felixstowe, a port town on the Suffolk coast.
"Almost undoubtedly sexually motivated, he was a predator stalking for his prey: looking for a young woman to kidnap."
On September 17 1999, Victoria Hall had worked after school and then gone out with her friend Gemma Algar and met up with her boyfriend, arriving home at around 2.30am.
The next evening, she got ready for a night out after work wearing a black dress with shoestring straps, a brown tailored jacket, high heeled sandals, a gold watch, hooped earrings and rings.
At 9pm, she left home and went to Ms Algar's house before walking to Bandbox nightclub, the court was told.
They left the club at 1am, bought a bag of chips and walked along the High Road, Felixstowe, singing.
At about 2.20pm the girls parted ways with Victoria saying: "I'll ring you when I get up tomorrow".
Ms Algar replied: "You'll hear me saying 'ouch' as I walk home."
The court was told this was the last reported sighting of Victoria, who did not reach her home.
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'Crushed her young life'
Delivering his sentencing remarks, Mr Justice Bennathan said: "Victoria Hall was a typical bright, lively teenager.
"Her father described her as having been a happy, loving child.
"She spent hours on the phone to her best friend, she was studying for her A-levels, she had a part-time job and loved to go out dancing.
"For reasons only you know, and most people will never start to comprehend, you snatched Victoria away and you crushed her young life."
The Crown Prosecution Service has released new CCTV images which they believe show Wright hours after he kidnapped and murdered Victoria.
The pictures were captured at a petrol station five miles away from where he dumped her body in the village of Creeting St Peter.
The full sentence handed to Steve Wright:
- for the attempted kidnap of Emily Doherty, nine years in prison
- for the kidnap of Victoria Hall, 12 years in prison
- for the kidnap of Victoria Hall, life in prison with a minimum term of 40 years
'Possible previous offending'
Suffolk Police said it was appealing for information relating to "possible previous offending" by Suffolk strangler Steve Wright following his sentencing for the 1999 murder of Victoria Hall.
In a statement, the force said: "In light of the guilty plea by Steve Wright for the murder of Victoria Hall in 1999, the joint major investigation team are appealing for information relating to him and his possible previous offending.
"Suffolk and Norfolk constabularies are always alive to new information and how this could assist, alongside modern forensic and investigative techniques, to build an evidential case for court and bring offenders to justice."