MICHAEL HOWIE - HOME AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT "This is so fast-moving, we need to take stock and maximise opportunities to recover forensic evidence from the scene before establishing whether they are linked or not. We need to catch this person or persons as quickly as possible." - DET CHIEF SUPT GULL
THE Suffolk serial killer is murdering women at a rate "unprecedented" in British criminal history, a senior police officer said yesterday.
Speaking just hours after the bodies of two more women were found in the Ipswich area, Chief Constable Alastair McWhirter said the fact the five killings have taken place within six weeks meant they were dealing with a murderer like no other witnessed in the country.
"This is an unprecedented set of circumstances. One thinks back to the Yorkshire Ripper. That was over several months. This is unprecedented in terms of speed," he said.
He added the force was bringing in assistance from other forces to help in the inquiry. Investigators said the "natural assumption" was that the two bodies discovered yesterday were those of missing prostitutes Paula Clennell and Annette Nicholls.
The first body was found near Levington, a village to the south of Ipswich and just a few miles from Suffolk police headquarters. Minutes later a police helicopter spotted a second corpse nearby.
Only hours before the discoveries, Paula's father, Brian Clennell, had pleaded for his daughter to "just say you're alive". He said: "We all love you and you have nothing to hide. There are no repercussions coming out of it."
But hope for her safety was failing fast last night.
The naked body of Gemma Adams, 25, was found on 2 December in woodland at Hintlesham, on the outskirts of Ipswich. She had last been seen on 15 November.
On 8 December the body of Tania Nicol, 19, was found in nearby Copdock. She was the first to go missing and had last been seen on 30 October.
The naked body of the third prostitute, Anneli Alderton, 24, from Colchester in Essex, was discovered at the weekend in Nacton, a few miles further east of the others.
All the bodies were found close to the A14, which runs to the port of Felixstowe.
The officer leading the murder inquiry, Detective Chief Superintendent Stewart Gull, confirmed yesterday's discoveries.
"Just after 3:05pm we were contacted by a member of the public who reported seeing what he thought was a female naked body on the old Felixstowe road near to Suffolk police headquarters.
"As a result of that we deployed a helicopter and shortly after, a second body was reported."
Det Chief Supt Gull added: "These two bodies have been found not far from where Anneli was found and I fear the worst - they may well be Paula and Annette."
He said officers had formally linked on Saturday the murders of Tania and Gemma because of "significant similarities", and inquiries involving Anneli, Paula and Annette were continuing.
"This is so fast-moving, we need to take stock and maximise opportunities to recover forensic evidence from the scene before establishing whether they are linked or not. We need to catch this person or persons as quickly as possible."
Last night a police helicopter was hovering above the scene of the latest discoveries in case further bodies were lying in the area.
Det Chief Supt Gull said no further prostitutes had been reported missing in Ipswich.
"I would say to the offender, I think it is unlikely he will make himself known to us, but clearly this man is a danger. He has got significant problems. If he is minded to make himself known to us, then I would encourage him to do so."
He again urged prostitutes to stay off the streets.
Earlier yesterday, Det Chief Supt Gull said it appeared from a post-mortem examination that Miss Alderton had been strangled.
He said the cause of death in the cases of Miss Adams and Miss Nicol had not yet been established, although their bodies showed no signs of asphyxiation. Det Chief Supt Gull described this apparent anomaly as "potentially unusual" and raised the possibility that more than one killer could be at work.
He said his message to the killer was simple - "Give yourself up" - adding: "Clearly you have a significant problem. Give me a call. We can deal with this."
Mr McWhirter, said the force had been taken by surprise by the speed with which the killings have occurred.
He said: "This number of murders in such a short period of time is very demanding but we're putting resources in place to deal with it."
Publicity-hungry killer with a grudge 'taunting the police'
POLICE investigating the prostitute murders are being "taunted" by a serial killer, a forensic psychologist said last night.
Dr Keith Ashcroft, an expert in sex crimes, said the person responsible probably had "a grudge" against Suffolk Police.
He said the fact that bodies were being left in relatively open surroundings in an area swarming with officers indicated the killer's attitude.
Mr Ashcroft said: "I think this guy is really, really taunting the police and he probably has some massive grudge against a police force, probably even Suffolk.
"He wants to make the police look inadequate."
He added that the killer also had his "eye on the media" and the 24-hour news coverage of the case was feeding his ego and making him "more likely than not" to kill again.
Mr Ashcroft, who has advised police on other cases, said the murders bore some resemblance to those committed by an American serial killer in the United States in the 1980s.
Gary Ridgway murdered at least 48 women, many of whom were prostitutes, in the Seattle area.
He was known as the Green River Killer because he dumped bodies in a waterway, just as in the case of some of the Suffolk bodies.
Mr Ashcroft said the Suffolk killer, like Ridgway, was likely to have a history of failed relationships. Mr Ashcroft, who was trained by FBI profilers, said: "Ridgway had a lot of problems with women and lots of failed relationships with people that were too much of a match for him and it was like he was getting his own back on the women in his life by murdering prostitutes."
The expert added that the way in which the bodies had been dumped in Suffolk suggested the killer had good local knowledge and was well aware of forensic science.
He said: "The fact that clothes have been removed, and bodies left in the water, shows some attempt to minimise DNA evidence."
Asked if another person may be involved, he said: "With five bodies there may be somebody aware of it, but not necessarily part of the murders."
Mr Ashcroft, who is based at a private practice in Manchester, said psychologists were likely to be telling the police to try to keep a "lid" on the media coverage.
"He (the killer) has an eye on the media and is enjoying it at the moment so we have to look at the coverage," he said.
But police also need publicity to catch the killer.
Background infos at link.
