- By Harriet Heywood
- BBC News, Suffolk
Image source, Suffolk Police
Steve Wright has been charged with the murder and kidnap of 17-year-old Victoria Hall in 1999.
The 66-year-old, formerly of London Road, Ipswich, has also been charged with the attempted kidnap of a 22-year-old woman the previous night.
Victoria was last seen alive in the early hours of 19 September 1999, in High Road, Trimley St Mary, Suffolk.
Her body was found in a ditch near a field, about 25 miles (40km) away from where she was last seen.
Image source, Suffolk Police
Suffolk Police said she left her home on the evening of 18 September 1999 to go with a friend to Bandbox nightclub in Bent Hill, Felixstowe.
They remained there until about 01:00 BST on the morning of 19 September.
They then went to buy some food at the Bodrum Grill on Undercliff Road West and parted ways at about 02:20, near to the junction of High Road and Faulkeners Way.
At that point, Victoria was just yards away from her home.
When Victoria’s parents woke up they found she had not returned home and called the police.
A missing person’s inquiry was opened, but five days later Victoria’s naked body was found by a dog walker in a ditch beside a field on Creeting Lane, Creeting St Peter.
Mr Wright, a former forklift truck driver, has also been charged with one count of attempted kidnap in connection with a separate incident the night before Victoria’s disappearance.
A 22-year-old woman reported that a man approached and followed her between 03:00 and 04:00 on 18 September 1999 on High Road East, Felixstowe.
Mr Wright is remanded in custody and is due to appear before Ipswich Magistrates’ Court on 3 June.
The police said in September 2019 that the case was being fully reinvestigated by a new team of detectives.
The Crown Prosecution Service authorised detectives to charge Mr Wright with the three offences.
Frank Ferguson, the chief crown prosecutor for the East of England, said: “The Crown Prosecution Service has authorised Suffolk Police to charge Steve Wright, 66, with the kidnap and murder of Victoria Hall and the attempted kidnapping of another woman in September 1999.
“We remind all concerned that criminal proceedings against the defendant are active and that he has the right to a fair trial.
“It is extremely important that there should be no reporting, commentary, or sharing of information online which could in any way prejudice these proceedings.”
William Turner is a seasoned U.K. correspondent with a deep understanding of domestic affairs. With a passion for British politics and culture, he provides insightful analysis and comprehensive coverage of events within the United Kingdom.
