Serial Killer in Ipswich

[Richard Beeby]

Perhaps because this is happening on my doorstep that it seems to be the only thing being talked about - but I wondered what the wider feelings/views were on this "Modern Day Ripper" case that's hitting Ipswich at the moment.

With 4 girls missing, 3 confirmed dead in the town and 1 more missing from Norwich, it looks as if a serial killer is walking the same streets I do every day and it's a chilling thought.

Does anyone think the outcome of this may result in a change in the way the country views prositution?

[Brian]

I'm obviously not hugely happy about it.

I've always said we need laws more like Amsterdam.

[Rob McCow]

I don't think it will change the country's views on prostitution - why on Earth should it? If anything it'll show that they need more protection.

[Captain Tancredi]

I suspect that what Richard was getting at was that while prostitution is carried out on darkened streets and involves women putting themselves in danger every night they go out, these things will happen every so often. Legalised brothels with bouncers and health checks would help prevent this. However, it's taken decades for the police to shake off the mindset that if a prostitute is attacked or killed, it's her fault for going on the game in the first place.

What's scary about the Ipswich case is the speed at which it seems to be escalating with quite possibly two more attacks over this last weekend alone. Whoever's doing it must be seriously deranged and we can only hope that the rate at which the attacks are happening gives the police something to join the dots and track the killer down. If it changes anything, though, it's more likely to give ammunition to those in the Home Office who want to merge the county police forces and argue- as with the Soham murders- that rural county police forces simply aren't equipped to deal with serious multiple killings.

[Andrew Curnow]

What's scary about the Ipswich case is the speed at which it seems to be escalating with quite possibly two more attacks over this last weekend alone

I agree - up until yesterday I hadn't really taken much notice of it on the news; now they seem to be suggesting there may be as many as five murders so far.

[Larry]

I suspect that what Richard was getting at was that while prostitution is carried out on darkened streets and involves women putting themselves in danger every night they go out, these things will happen every so often. Legalised brothels with bouncers and health checks would help prevent this. However, it's taken decades for the police to shake off the mindset that if a prostitute is attacked or killed, it's her fault for going on the game in the first place.

What's scary about the Ipswich case is the speed at which it seems to be escalating with quite possibly two more attacks over this last weekend alone. Whoever's doing it must be seriously deranged and we can only hope that the rate at which the attacks are happening gives the police something to join the dots and track the killer down. If it changes anything, though, it's more likely to give ammunition to those in the Home Office who want to merge the county police forces and argue- as with the Soham murders- that rural county police forces simply aren't equipped to deal with serious multiple killings.

well there's just been a news flash saying the police have found 2 more bodies bringing the total to 5..

[Phillip Culley]

It probably counts for nothing, however this has apparently made headline news over here in Canada as well....

[Larry]

It probably counts for nothing, however this has apparently made headline news over here in Canada as well....

it's probably becausethis kind of serial killings is relativly rare in the U.K..

[Dave Tudor]

This case has struck a chord with me particularly, for two reasons: one is that Ipswich is a town I've come to know and love over the past couple of years, and the other is that a similar murder happened almost literally on my doorstep this summer.

In that case, two women were murdered at a 'massage parlour' in which they worked - as far as I know, the case remains unsolved. While the Ipswich killings are far more numerous, both cases once again serve to illustrate the dangers faced by women working in prostitution. It's ironic that it's called 'the world's oldest profession' and yet there are still not adequate laws to protect those in that 'profession'.

Whatever happens, Richard, and particularly you, Dee - please take care.

[Brian]

I heard a woman on the radio a little while back saying that we shouldn't be calling them prostitutes, that it isn't relevant. It is relevant but we need to keep perspective on it.

These are people's friends, daughters and mothers. Although the 2 newest bodies haven't been identified yet I know one of the missing girls (as a friend of a friend) and I don't have much hope.

People, especially us working shifts without cars are a bit scared.
Work are issuing personal alarms tomorrow, have a feeling it won't take the bite off.

[Wayne]

I've always said we need laws more like Amsterdam.

It's always been my view that we could learn a thing or two from Holland about make the lives of these women safer.

I hope they catch the b*stard.
And look after yourself, Dee.

[Trudi G]

I heard a woman on the radio a little while back saying that we shouldn't be calling them prostitutes, that it isn't relevant. It is relevant but we need to keep perspective on it.

These are people's friends, daughters and mothers.

These are my thoughts exactly. Some of these poor women had children, family, friends - who possibly didn't know what they did for a living.
Every other word has been 'prostitute' on the news and apart from highlighting the dangers of the proffession, i don't think it's that relevant.
I can't imagine it's a job anyone would want to get into unless they were totally desperate, and i really think there needs to be some changes in the law to protect those women who have to do it.

[Si Hunt]

I think its relevent in that it's a link between the women and so it's obviously been taken into account by the killer, vile individual that (s)he is. It's clearly women of that "profession" that are at risk, so they need to be warned.

I couldn't help but be suspicious of the family member on the news who said "I had no idea she was doing this". Perhaps he didn't, but how much interest in her life can he have taken if he didn't, if she needed money that badly she couldn't go to him? It seemed to me somewhat hypocritcal to be on the news grieving when his relationship with his daughter was such that he didn't even know she was on the game. How much interest does that say he took into her life?

Si.

[Brian]

I don't know though. One of my friends visited a brothel a few times to see the same woman for a "girlfriend experience". And she slipped (through the maths of how long she's been doing it) that she started at 14. And that her dad doesn't know because she doesn't want him to, he used to be a proffesional boxer if I remember right.

[Jonno]

Dee, I can only echo what others have already said - please take care and don't take any unnecessary risks.

[Captain Tancredi]

It's not beyond the realms of imagination that a young woman working as a prostitute who has a couple of regular clients might pass one off as a casual boyfriend to any friends or family who ask her what she's been doing or who she's been seeing.

I think their being prostitutes is relevant to the extent that (i) their trade puts them in the way of danger far more than somebody pursuing a legitimate occupation and (ii) sooner or later, the police investigation is going to need other prostitutes or their clients to come forward with evidence. Too often the police hit a wall of silence because the prostitutes are afraid to speak to the police (particularly where their pimps or dealiers are involved) and their clients won't either- which is understandable if you're an otherwise respectable member of society who risks being exposed in the press and having to give evidence in court.

[Anthony Williams]

From what I understand on the news today, the police are pretty much swarming over the area, and have narrowed it down to 50 suspects, so hopefully they'll catch the killer soon?

Ant x

[Simon R]

Where am I gonna go, Ipswich?

[Si Hunt]

They've arrested someone.

A 37-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of murdering five women found dead at sites around Ipswich.
The man was held at his home at Trimley St Martin, near Felixstowe on Monday morning.

He was arrested on suspicion of murdering prostitutes Gemma Adams, Anneli Alderton, Tania Nicol, Paula Clennell and Annette Nicholls.

The man is in custody at an unnamed police station in Suffolk and is due to be questioned later.

[Larry]

lets just hope they have the right man ..

[Richard Beeby]

From what I understand on the news today, the police are pretty much swarming over the area, and have narrowed it down to 50 suspects, so hopefully they'll catch the killer soon?

Pretty much - swarming is the right word!

It's become a on-going game now, how many police cars will we pass going from x to z. Sunday coming from the station to home (approx a mile) we counted 10 cars! It's quite amazing that there's police cars from Mersyside and Wales on the streets of Ipswich.

At the very beginning of this, I was suggesting whether of not there would be more liberal views to prostition as a result of this. Even Tim Yeo, the local MP, is saying that we need to have legalised brothels to get these women off of the streets which is pretty amazing really! I've suggested that perhaps this is in East Bergholt (the village that he lives in just outside the town)

It's all still quite weird though. You do look at people in a different way when there is a serial killer literally on the doorstep - and when the headlines from the local news are in your highstreet.

[Nathan]

No liberal views in the Daily Mail.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/liv..._author_id=322

[Nathan]

I'm suprised they printed it. Shocking!

[Wayne]

I'm suprised they printed it. Shocking!

Doesn't surprise me. It's a right wing/tory rag after all.

[Si Hunt]

I see the papers are using their usual "guilty until proven innocent" attitude today, printing various exposes and scandals about the suspects.

Si.