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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Serial killer drops appeal case | Serial killer drops appeal case |
| (about 11 hours later) | |
| Serial killer Steve Wright has dropped his bid to appeal against his convictions for the murders of five women in Suffolk. | Serial killer Steve Wright has dropped his bid to appeal against his convictions for the murders of five women in Suffolk. |
| Wright, 49, was jailed for life at Ipswich Crown Court last February. | Wright, 49, was jailed for life at Ipswich Crown Court last February. |
| It is reported that his family says a planned hearing at the Royal Courts of Justice on 24 February will not now take place. | It is reported that his family says a planned hearing at the Royal Courts of Justice on 24 February will not now take place. |
| They are hoping that the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) will now take up the case. | They are hoping that the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) will now take up the case. |
| Wright's brother, David, who is leading the campaign, said: "Our solicitor is now writing to the CPS to secure the release of defence papers. | Wright's brother, David, who is leading the campaign, said: "Our solicitor is now writing to the CPS to secure the release of defence papers. |
| "But it's going to take a while to go through all the paperwork - we've been told there's enough to fill a transit van. I think it'll be at least a year." | "But it's going to take a while to go through all the paperwork - we've been told there's enough to fill a transit van. I think it'll be at least a year." |
| Legal aid | Legal aid |
| The family has raised £10,000 so far to mount an appeal but much of that has been spent. | The family has raised £10,000 so far to mount an appeal but much of that has been spent. |
| If the CCRC decides the case is worth investigating, then Wright will qualify for legal aid. | If the CCRC decides the case is worth investigating, then Wright will qualify for legal aid. |
| "The CCRC would pay for things like DNA tests, which would've cost us thousands," said David Wright. | "The CCRC would pay for things like DNA tests, which would've cost us thousands," said David Wright. |
| Wright's appeal was due to be heard in London later this month | |
| The bodies of Gemma Adams, Tania Nicol, Anneli Alderton, Paula Clennell and Annette Nicholls were found over a 10-day period near Ipswich in 2006. | The bodies of Gemma Adams, Tania Nicol, Anneli Alderton, Paula Clennell and Annette Nicholls were found over a 10-day period near Ipswich in 2006. |
| Steve Wright was sentenced after a six-week trial where jurors unanimously found him guilty of all five murders. | Steve Wright was sentenced after a six-week trial where jurors unanimously found him guilty of all five murders. |
| He was given a whole life sentence and told he would spend the rest of his life in prison. | He was given a whole life sentence and told he would spend the rest of his life in prison. |
| Wright's family say there are inconsistencies in the prosecution case against him. | Wright's family say there are inconsistencies in the prosecution case against him. |
| They claim DNA evidence is flawed, and say the police did not investigate sightings of a white van seen in a remote country lane shortly before two of the victims' bodies were found. | They claim DNA evidence is flawed, and say the police did not investigate sightings of a white van seen in a remote country lane shortly before two of the victims' bodies were found. |