Steve Wright Sentenced to 40 Additional Years for 1999 Schoolgirl Murder
Serial killer Steve Wright, who is already serving a whole-life prison sentence for the murders of five women, has been handed a further 40-year term for the abduction, sexual assault, and murder of 17-year-old schoolgirl Victoria Hall in 1999. Additionally, he was sentenced for the attempted kidnapping of 22-year-old Emily Doherty during the same period. The sentencing took place at the Old Bailey on Friday, where prosecutors described Wright as a predator who caused "untold distress" to Hall's family.
Predatory Actions in Felixstowe
According to prosecutor Jocelyn Ledward KC, Wright was "on the prowl" in Felixstowe, Suffolk, on the weekend of September 18 and 19, 1999, driving a burgundy Ford Granada Scorpio. Ledward stated that his actions were "almost undoubtedly sexually motivated," as he stalked for young women to kidnap. In the early hours of September 18, Wright attempted to abduct Emily Doherty after she became separated from her friends. However, Doherty's instincts alerted her to the danger, and she escaped unharmed by running, hiding, and knocking on a door, an act that "probably saved her life." Her description of the attacker's car later helped police identify 56 vehicles, including Wright's.
Victoria Hall's Tragic Fate
Undeterred by his failed attempt, Wright struck again the following night. Victoria Hall, who had been walking home from the Bandbox nightclub with her best friend Gemma Algar, was abducted just 300 meters from her front door in Trimley St Mary. Algar later heard "two female high-pitched screams" as Hall was snatched and bundled into Wright's car. Hall's body was found naked, except for her jewellery, in a farm ditch 25 miles away, discarded "as if she were no more important than a disposable commodity." Wright then returned to his work at Felixstowe docks "as if nothing had happened," adding to the family's anguish, particularly for Hall's mother, who died before Wright was brought to justice.
Legal Proceedings and Previous Convictions
Wright had been due to stand trial at the Old Bailey for Hall's murder and the attempted kidnapping of Doherty but changed his plea at the last minute earlier this week. This marks the sixth murder for which he has been convicted, though it is the first to which he has admitted. In 2001, Wright was charged with a series of thefts, leading to his DNA being added to the national database, which eventually identified him as a suspect in Hall's case. He was arrested over Hall's death in 2021, following Suffolk Constabulary's announcement that it was reopening the inquiry as a live case.
Previously, Wright was sentenced in 2008 for the murders of five women in Ipswich between 2006 and 2007, including Tania Nicol, Gemma Adams, Anneli Alderton, Paula Clennell, and Annette Nicholls. These convictions had already secured him a whole-life prison term, but the latest sentencing ensures further accountability for his earlier crimes, highlighting the prolonged impact of his violent actions on multiple victims and their families.
