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Suffolk murder case judge sums up Judge's plea to Suffolk case jury
(about 2 hours later)
A judge has begun giving directions to jurors hearing the trial of Steve Wright, who is accused of murdering five women in Suffolk. A judge has told jurors hearing the murder trial of Steve Wright to put aside any sympathy they have for the five dead women.
Barristers representing the prosecution and defence summarised their cases at Ipswich Crown Court last week. Mr Justice Gross, who is summing up the case at Ipswich Crown Court, addressed the jury of nine men and three women before they consider their verdicts.
Mr Justice Gross is now summing up the case to the jury of nine men and three women, which is expected to retire to consider its verdicts later this week. He told them: "Such sympathies cannot assist you in deciding your task."
Mr Wright, 49, denies killing the women, who all worked as prostitutes. Mr Wright, 49, of Ipswich, denies killing the women, who all worked as prostitutes in the town.
'Ignore emotions''Ignore emotions'
The bodies of Gemma Adams, 25, Tania Nicol, 19, Anneli Alderton, 24, Paula Clennell, 24, and Annette Nicholls, 29, were found over a 10-day period in December 2006.The bodies of Gemma Adams, 25, Tania Nicol, 19, Anneli Alderton, 24, Paula Clennell, 24, and Annette Nicholls, 29, were found over a 10-day period in December 2006.
Mr Justice Gross told the jury they could only try the case based on evidence heard during the trial. Mr Justice Gross told the jury: "The loss of these five young lives is clearly a tragedy. You are likely to have sympathy for the deceased and their families.
Jurors were told to ignore any emotions they may have about the case. "Your sympathy... must not sway you."
The judge said: "You may view with some distaste the lifestyles of those involved... whatever the drugs they took, whatever the work they did, no-one is entitled to do these women any harm, let alone kill them." The judge added: "You may view with some distaste the lifestyles of those involved... whatever the drugs they took, whatever the work they did, no-one is entitled to do these women any harm, let alone kill them."
He told them to avoid any media coverage of the case and any reference to it on the internet.He told them to avoid any media coverage of the case and any reference to it on the internet.