Suffolk Strangler admits murder of schoolgirl after 25 years of silence

The murder of Victoria Hall has finally been admitted in court, more than a quarter of a century after the Suffolk teenager vanished on her way home from a nightclub.

Steve Wright, the convicted serial killer known as the Suffolk Strangler, pleaded guilty at the Old Bailey to abducting and murdering the 17-year-old in September 1999. It is the first time he has admitted responsibility for any killing.

Hall, a sixth-form student from Trimley St Mary, disappeared in the early hours after leaving the Bandbox nightclub in Felixstowe with friends. She was last seen alive just yards from her home. Her body was found five days later in a ditch near Creeting St Peter, around 25 miles away.

Wright, 67, who is already serving a whole-life sentence for the murders of five women in Ipswich in December 2006, also pleaded guilty to the attempted kidnap of Emily Doherty, then 22, in Felixstowe the day before Hall was killed.

Appearing in court, balding and bespectacled in a navy and grey jumper, Wright spoke only to confirm his name and enter his pleas. Mr Justice Bennathan said he would sentence the defendant on Friday to allow Hall’s family and other victims to attend and submit impact statements.

Prosecutors said the guilty pleas followed a ruling that jurors could hear about Wright’s previous murder convictions. The court was told there were striking similarities between the crimes, including asphyxiation and the disposal of bodies in isolated locations.

In a statement, Suffolk Police said the admission brought long-awaited clarity to a case that has cast a shadow over the county for more than two decades. Assistant Chief Constable Alice Scott said: “Victoria’s family have waited over 26 years for this day. I am very pleased that we have been able to deliver justice for Victoria and that they now know who is responsible for her murder.”

She added that while the family had been spared the ordeal of a trial, the impact of the crime would endure. “They will continue to live with the trauma of having Victoria taken from them at such a young age and in such horrific circumstances.”

A year after her daughter’s death, Victoria’s father, Graham Hall, appealed publicly for information, saying the killer must be living under the same pressure as the family. “They have got it on their conscience all of the time,” he said at the time.

Victoria’s mother, Lorinda Hall, died in December, never knowing that her daughter’s killer would finally admit the crime.

The case remains one of the most painful unsolved chapters in Suffolk’s recent history. For many in the community, the guilty plea closes a legal chapter but leaves the deeper human loss unchanged.

For background on how historic cold cases are brought back before the courts, readers can explore guidance on serious crime prosecutions via the Crown Prosecution Service

For more independent coverage of London and UK crime and justice stories, follow EyeOnLondon. We welcome thoughtful discussion and reader perspectives in the comments.

Image Credit | Suffolk Constabulary]

Follow us on:

Subscribe to our YouTube channel for the latest videos and updates!

We value your thoughts! Share your feedback and help us make EyeOnLondon even better!