Steve Wright, known as the Suffolk strangler, appeared amused in court as the brother of his sixth victim described the enduring pain and anguish his family had endured due to Wright’s actions.
Wright, aged 67, admitted to the abduction and murder of 17-year-old Victoria Hall, who vanished over 25 years ago in a village near Felixstowe. He also confessed to attempting to kidnap Emily Doherty, then 22, in the Suffolk port town the day before. On Friday, Wright was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 40 years for these crimes.
Steven, who was 15 when his sister was murdered, expressed the ongoing pain of their family, stating, “Our lives were forever altered by the selfish actions of a man seeking personal gain. Victoria’s future was tragically cut short at 17, depriving her of the joys of life she deserved.”
He continued, “Losing my sister has been a profound loss for me, and my parents grieve the daughter who brought immense happiness through her passion for dance and her kind spirit.”
“For 26 years, I have lived with the uncertainty of my sister’s fate, a sentence in itself. While the recent developments offer some answers, the pain and suffering persist.”
Victoria, a resident of Trimley St Mary in Suffolk, disappeared on September 18, 1999, after heading to a nightclub in Felixstowe with a friend. Her body was discovered unclothed in a ditch five days later in Creeting St Peter, approximately 25 miles from her last known location. Wright had abducted, sexually assaulted, and murdered her before discarding her remains.
The distress caused by Victoria’s manner of death had a profound impact on her mother Lorinda, who passed away before Wright faced justice, the court revealed.
Wright, appearing arrogant, entered Court 10 nonchalantly, engaging in casual conversation with a dock officer. The courtroom, filled with media representatives, accommodated additional seating to handle the large audience.
Physically described as obese, bald, and wearing thick-rimmed glasses, Wright resembled an ordinary elderly man, underscoring the banality of his evil actions.
As he navigated the courtroom, Wright glanced at onlookers before settling in his seat, situated close to Steven, his father, and Victoria’s best friend Gemma Algar.
Wright’s oversized sweatshirt barely concealed his substantial abdomen, hindering his movements within the courtroom.
Initially hesitant to stand upon the judge’s entrance, Wright eventually rose, visibly strained by his physical stature during the court proceedings.
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