Slay Suspect Admits Picking Up Ipswich Prostitutes on Nights They Disappeared

IPSWICH, England – The man accused of murdering five prostitutes in Suffolk says he could have picked up all of the women on the nights they are thought to have disappeared.

At his trial, Steve Wright told the jury he had sex with four of the women and was intending to have sex with the fifth, Tania Nicol, 19, before changing his mind.

The 49-year-old suspect, of Ipswich, denies murdering Tania, Gemma Adams, 25, Anneli Alderton, 24, Paula Clennell, 24, and Annette Nicholls, 29.

Here are the key points so far from Ipswich Crown Court:

— Wright's DNA was allegedly found on three of the women's bodies, blood from two of the women was found on one of his coats and fibers from his home or car were found on all five.

— He denied having anything to do with the disappearances or deaths of the women and said he had been the victim of a series of coincidences.

— The forklift truck driver agreed with the prosecution's claim that in terms of picking up prostitutes in Ipswich he had been "singularly unfortunate."

— The prosecutor listed 12 coincidences relating to Wright being with the five on the nights they vanished, picking up the prostitutes in the order they disappeared, and in relation to forensic evidence found at Wright's home or on the prostitutes' bodies.

— Twelve times Wright was asked: "Is that a coincidence?"

— Twelve times Wright replied: "It would seem so, yes."

— Wright said he had answered "no comment" to all questions put to him by detectives following his arrest after receiving legal advice. He said he had since changed solicitors.

— The suspect admitted he might have had sex with Gemma either late on Nov. 14 or on Nov. 15, 2006.

— Gemma was last seen in Ipswich's red light district on Nov. 14. Her body was found just over two weeks later in Belstead Brook to the south of the town.

— Wright told jurors it was "quite possible" that he picked up Tania on the night of Oct. 30 but he said he did not have sex with the teenager.

— Detectives launched an inquiry in early November after Tania disappeared.

— Wright admitted he could have had sex with Anneli on or around Dec. 3, the date she was last seen, catching a train.

— Wright's car was twice captured by security camera technology on the night Anneli disappeared.

— Her body turned up a week later at Nacton, posed in a crucifix shape.

— Wright said he could not remember exactly when he had picked up Annette, but said it was possible it had been on the night of Dec. 8, 2006, when she was last seen.

— He also admitted picking up Miss Clennell about the time she vanished. She was last seen on Dec. 10.

— The naked bodies of the five women, who all worked as prostitutes in Ipswich, were found at remote locations near the town during a 10-day period in December 2006.

— Wright lived with his partner — a call centre worker called Pam Wright — at a flat in the Ipswich red light district.

— Wright said they moved in on Oct. 1 2006 and he began picking up prostitutes near the flat in the third week of October 2006.