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| Man held over prostitute murders | Man held over prostitute murders |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| A 37-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of murdering five women whose bodies were found at sites around the Ipswich area. | A 37-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of murdering five women whose bodies were found at sites around the Ipswich area. |
| Supermarket worker Tom Stephens was arrested by police at his home at Trimley St Martin, near Felixstowe. | Supermarket worker Tom Stephens was arrested by police at his home at Trimley St Martin, near Felixstowe. |
| He is being held on suspicion of murdering prostitutes Gemma Adams, Anneli Alderton, Tania Nicol, Paula Clennell and Annette Nicholls. | He is being held on suspicion of murdering prostitutes Gemma Adams, Anneli Alderton, Tania Nicol, Paula Clennell and Annette Nicholls. |
| Mr Stephens is in custody at an unnamed police station in Suffolk. | Mr Stephens is in custody at an unnamed police station in Suffolk. |
| He is due to be questioned by detectives later on Monday. | He is due to be questioned by detectives later on Monday. |
| Laptop taken | Laptop taken |
| Speaking in an interview with BBC News last week for background purposes, Mr Stephens said he "was probably the closest thing Tania [Nicol] had as a boyfriend". | Speaking in an interview with BBC News last week for background purposes, Mr Stephens said he "was probably the closest thing Tania [Nicol] had as a boyfriend". |
| "It wasn't a relationship like that, although Annette [Nicholls] in fact thought that we were an item," he added. | "It wasn't a relationship like that, although Annette [Nicholls] in fact thought that we were an item," he added. |
| Mr Stephens, who worked for Tesco's in Martlesham, said he had spoken to Miss Nicol's mother in the days following her disappearance. | |
| He said he had known Miss Nicol for about six months but had known Miss Adams for 18 months - "about as long as I've known any of the girls". | He said he had known Miss Nicol for about six months but had known Miss Adams for 18 months - "about as long as I've known any of the girls". |
| Satellite images of key locations in the caseEnlarge Image | Satellite images of key locations in the caseEnlarge Image |
| Police had interviewed him at his home in Jubilee Close earlier in the investigation and had taken his mobile phone and laptop computer, he added. | Police had interviewed him at his home in Jubilee Close earlier in the investigation and had taken his mobile phone and laptop computer, he added. |
| Det Ch Supt Stewart Gull said: "We will not be naming the police station where the man is being held. | Det Ch Supt Stewart Gull said: "We will not be naming the police station where the man is being held. |
| "As legal proceedings are now active, Suffolk Police will not be issuing further comments or appeals at this stage." | "As legal proceedings are now active, Suffolk Police will not be issuing further comments or appeals at this stage." |
| The five dead women, aged between 19 and 29, were all found naked in rural settings within 10 miles of Ipswich. | The five dead women, aged between 19 and 29, were all found naked in rural settings within 10 miles of Ipswich. |
| They worked as prostitutes and all were drug-users. Their bodies were found close to the A14 road. | They worked as prostitutes and all were drug-users. Their bodies were found close to the A14 road. |
| 'Water-filled ditch' | 'Water-filled ditch' |
| The body of Miss Adams, 25, who went missing on 15 November, was found in a brook at Hintlesham, Suffolk, by a member of the public on 2 December. | The body of Miss Adams, 25, who went missing on 15 November, was found in a brook at Hintlesham, Suffolk, by a member of the public on 2 December. |
| Tania Nicol's body was found by police divers searching areas of water at Copdock Mill, near Ipswich, on 8 December. | Tania Nicol's body was found by police divers searching areas of water at Copdock Mill, near Ipswich, on 8 December. |
| Miss Nicol, 19, was last seen after leaving her home in Ipswich on 30 October. | Miss Nicol, 19, was last seen after leaving her home in Ipswich on 30 October. |
| The body of Anneli Alderton, 24, was found in woodland in Nacton, near Ipswich, on 10 December. | The body of Anneli Alderton, 24, was found in woodland in Nacton, near Ipswich, on 10 December. |
| On 12 December detectives found the bodies of Paula Clennell, 24, and Annette Nicholls, 29, near the village of Levington. | On 12 December detectives found the bodies of Paula Clennell, 24, and Annette Nicholls, 29, near the village of Levington. |
| Mr Stephens was arrested at 0720 GMT on Monday in the village, which is close to the A14 road between Ipswich and Felixstowe. | Mr Stephens was arrested at 0720 GMT on Monday in the village, which is close to the A14 road between Ipswich and Felixstowe. |
| Tom Stephens was arrested by police at his home in Suffolk | |
| Trimley was last in the national news when 17-year-old Vicky Hall vanished on her way home from a nightclub in Felixstowe in 1999 and was found dead in a water-filled ditch at Creeting St Peter - 25 miles from Felixstowe. | Trimley was last in the national news when 17-year-old Vicky Hall vanished on her way home from a nightclub in Felixstowe in 1999 and was found dead in a water-filled ditch at Creeting St Peter - 25 miles from Felixstowe. |
| It was believed she had been asphyxiated but a post-mortem examination proved inconclusive. | It was believed she had been asphyxiated but a post-mortem examination proved inconclusive. |
| Police have not linked this case with the deaths of the five prostitutes. | Police have not linked this case with the deaths of the five prostitutes. |
| On Monday they were unable to confirm Mr Stephens would be questioned about Miss Hall's murder. | On Monday they were unable to confirm Mr Stephens would be questioned about Miss Hall's murder. |
| The Association of Chief Police Officers say the number of officers deployed from forces outside Suffolk, under the control of the Police National Information and Co-ordination Centre, was the biggest ever for a murder inquiry. | The Association of Chief Police Officers say the number of officers deployed from forces outside Suffolk, under the control of the Police National Information and Co-ordination Centre, was the biggest ever for a murder inquiry. |
| In total 36 forces have sent 412 detectives, uniformed officers and police staff. | In total 36 forces have sent 412 detectives, uniformed officers and police staff. |