This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/england/suffolk/7204261.stm

The article has changed 5 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 1 Version 2
Driver 'saw victim with two men' Murdered woman 'spiralled down'
(about 2 hours later)
One of five women found murdered in Suffolk was seen on the night of her disappearance talking to two men in a car, Ipswich Crown Court heard. One of five women killed in Suffolk went into a "downward spiral" of hard drug addiction and prostitution after her father died, a jury heard.
Driver Jane Leighton told jurors she saw Tania Nicol "having a giggle" on the night of 30 October 2006. Maire Alderton, the mother of Anneli Alderton, gave evidence at the trial of Steve Wright, 49, from Ipswich, who denies murdering the women.
She was giving evidence in the trial of Steve Wright, 49, from Ipswich, who denies murdering the women. She told Ipswich Crown Court her daughter had been an excellent student but ended up serving two jail terms.
The court also heard from victim Anneli Alderton's mother, who said her daughter would fight any attacker. Anneli's boyfriend, Sammy Jefford, told jurors of his final sighting of her.
The victims had all been working as prostitutes at the time of their deaths. 'Last time'
Motorist Ms Leighton said she was driving home through the red light district of Ipswich just after 2300 GMT when she saw Miss Nicol. Jefford - who is serving a jail term after being convicted of robbery and a drugs offence - said she had left their flat in Colchester, Essex, on a Sunday early in December 2006 and not returned.
"On the Sunday morning she went out and that was the last time I saw her," he said.
Steve Wright denies murdering the five women
"I walked her to the bus stop, gave her a kiss. She said she would be back later."
The jury heard that Miss Alderton, 24, visited her mother at her Essex home on 3 December 2006, the last time she saw her.
Maire Alderton said she had separated from Anneli's father in 1986 and moved to Cyprus with Anneli in 1992.
Anneli had become fluent in the local language. They returned to Ipswich in 1997 but by her late teenage years Anneli became hooked on hard drugs.
'Fight back'
Jurors were told Anneli had been deeply affected by the death of her father and eventually turned to prostitution. Maire Alderton said her daughter was the type of person who would fight back if she was attacked.
"She was feisty and believed she could tackle anybody that tried to attack her," she said.
The witness said she recognised Tania Nicol from a photograph
Each of the five Suffolk victims had been working as prostitutes at the time of their deaths.
Miss Alderton, Tania Nicol, 19, Gemma Adams, 25, Paula Clennell, 24, and Annette Nicholls, 29, went missing during six weeks from October to December 2006 before their bodies were found.
Earlier, driver Jane Leighton told jurors she saw another victim, Miss Nicol, "having a giggle" on the night of 30 October 2006.
Ms Leighton said she was driving home through the red light district of Ipswich just after 2300 GMT when she saw Miss Nicol.
'Posh car''Posh car'
She said she realised the woman was Miss Nicol after seeing her photograph in a newspaper later.She said she realised the woman was Miss Nicol after seeing her photograph in a newspaper later.
"My first thought was, 'Somebody's got some money because it looks like a posh car'," said Ms Leighton."My first thought was, 'Somebody's got some money because it looks like a posh car'," said Ms Leighton.
"It was a shiny new blue car with a high boot.""It was a shiny new blue car with a high boot."
Anneli Alderton would "fight" an attacker, the court heard
Jurors were told Ms Leighton examined pictures of cars in a motor magazine with police and identified the vehicle as a Peugeot.Jurors were told Ms Leighton examined pictures of cars in a motor magazine with police and identified the vehicle as a Peugeot.
Anneli Alderton's mother, Maire, said her daughter became hooked on drugs after the death of her father and later served a number of prison sentences.
Maire Alderton said she eventually became aware that her daughter was working as a prostitute.
The jury heard that Miss Alderton, 24, visited her mother at her Essex home on 3 December 2006, the last time she saw her.
'Feisty' daughter
Maire Alderton told the court that her daughter would fight back if she was attacked.
"She was feisty and believed she could tackle anybody that tried to attack her," she told the court.
On Tuesday, Tania Nicol's mother Kerry told the court she thought her daughter was working in a bar or hairdressers, although men she did not know had twice called at the house.
She said she had received telephone calls from a man named Tom Stephens asking a "strange question" about whether the women would still go out and what they would do if one was murdered.
The court also heard from Gail Adams - mother of victim Gemma Adams - who said her daughter had lost contact with her family in the last few months of her life.
Miss Nicol, 19, Miss Adams, 25, Miss Alderton, Paula Clennell, 24, and Annette Nicholls, 29, went missing during six weeks from October to December 2006 before their bodies were found.
The trial continues.The trial continues.