'Suffolk strangler' Steve Wright pleads guilty to murder of teen in 1999

Serial killer Steve Wright has pleaded guilty to the murder of a 17-year-old girl in Suffolk more than 25 years ago.

The 67-year-old, formerly of London Road, in Ipswich, had been due to go on trial at the Old Bailey, in London, but changed his plea on Monday.

It is the first time Wright, known as the "Suffolk Strangler", has admitted any killings.

Victoria Hall was on her way home to Trimley St Mary from a nightclub in Felixstowe when she vanished in 1999. Her body was found in a ditch five days later near the village of Creeting St Peter, around 25 miles from where she was last seen.

Miss Hall had left her home on the evening of 18 September to go with a friend to the Bandbox nightclub.

The girls left the club at around 1am and parted ways at around 2.20am, yards from Miss Hall's home. That was the last time Miss Hall was seen alive.

Wright admitted to the the kidnap "by force or fraud" and murder of Miss Hall on 19 September 1999. He also pleaded guilty to the attempted kidnap of Emily Doherty, then aged 22, in Felixstowe the day before.

Wright, who is being held at HMP Long Lartin in Worcestershire, is serving a whole life sentence for the murders of five other women.

They were killed over a 10-day period in December 2006 and their bodies dumped at locations in Ipswich.

Balding and bespectacled Wright appeared in the dock of the Old Bailey on Monday in a navy and grey jumper, and spoke only to confirm his name and enter pleas.

Mr Justice Bennathan said he would sentence the defendant on Friday to give Miss Hall's family the chance to attend and submit victim impact statements.

Prosecutor Jocelynn Ledward KC confirmed Ms Hall's friend Gemma Algar and Ms Doherty would also submit statements.

Wright's guilty pleas come after Mr Justice Bennathan ruled that jurors in his trial could be told of the murder convictions, despite his defence complaining the prejudice would be too great.

In legal argument last month, the prosecution highlighted similarities between the murders, pointing out that all six women were asphyxiated and left in similar places and that they shared a physical type.

The prosecution also argued for the trial to include evidence of a sex worker that Wright knew well who would say he was familiar with the area linked to Miss Hall's murder.

A year after her murder, her parents Graham and Lorinda Hall had appealed for help to bring her murderer to justice.

Mr Hall said at the time he remained optimistic, saying: "Whoever did this must be under as much pressure as we are. They have got it on their conscience all of the time."

Mrs Hall died in December, before her daughter's killer could be brought to justice.

Ms Algar had been due to give evidence in Wright's trial, having said goodnight to her friend shortly before she vanished.

Miss Hall, who was at sixth form at the time of her disappearance, had been hoping to study sociology at university in Roehampton, Surrey.

'Victoria's family have waited over 26 years'

In a statement, Suffolk Police Assistant Chief Constable Alice Scott paid tribute to Miss Hall's family for their "patience and dignity" over such a "long period of time", adding: "Our immediate thoughts and focus today - as they have been throughout the entire investigation - are about Victoria Hall, her family and a significant number of others affected by the actions of Wright.

"Victoria's family have waited over 26 years for this day and I am so very pleased that we have been able to deliver justice for Victoria and they now know who is responsible for Victoria's murder.

"I am relieved that the family have been spared the ordeal of a trial. However, I am acutely aware that despite today's conviction, they will continue to live with the trauma of having Victoria ripped away from them at such a young age and in such horrific circumstances."

(c) Sky News 2026: 'Suffolk strangler' Steve Wright pleads guilty to murder of teen in 1999