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[This edited version of the report has been prepared by Dr Robert N Moles]

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On 29 August 2008 Anthony Bond of the East Anglian Daily Times reported “Suffolk serial killer breaks silence”.

Exclusive: He said jailed serial killer Steve Wright has written to the East Anglian Daily Times from behind bars - breaking his silence on being convicted of Suffolk's most notorious crimes. Writing from his cell, Wright, who is serving a life term for the murder of five Ipswich prostitutes, described his life in prison and continued to protest his innocence of the crimes. In the three-page letter Wright reveals:
- He is confident of winning an appeal
- He could not believe he was found guilty
- He is not on suicide watch
- He is taking a course in maths and computing
- He also claims his partner Pamela Wright is standing by him.

Writing from Long Lartin prison in Worcestershire, Wright, 50, said: “People should believe I am innocent because I have gone through my whole life trying to be as fair and considerate to other people as I possibly could. “I do not have a violent bone in my body and to take a life I would have thought would be the ultimate form of aggression.”

He added: “I just know in my heart that one day my innocence will be proved and I will be able to go home to try and rebuild my life, wherever that home may be.” Forklift truck driver Wright, who lived at London Road, Ipswich, was jailed for life in February after being found guilty of murdering Gemma Adams, 25, Tania Nicol, 19, Anneli Alderton, 24, Paula Clennell, 24 and Annette Nicholls, 29. He strangled or suffocated his victims and their naked bodies were found in isolated spots near Ipswich in a ten-day spell in December 2006.

Wright denied the five murders and was refused leave to appeal in July. He is currently pursuing a second attempt at appealing which he refers to in the letter by saying: “At this moment in time I feel very confident about my appeal but for obvious reasons I cannot go into detail.”

He warns that the real killer is still out there and says he feels for the families of the murdered girls.

“What I would say to the people of Suffolk is be on your guard because the real killer is still out there, although the injustice that has been done to me I feel no malice or contempt for the people of Suffolk and for the families of the five girls that were cruelly taken away from them.

“I feel sorrow and heartfelt pain for their loss, with me being arrested for these crimes it gave them someone to vent their anger at, to which I completely understand, but believe me when I say he is still out there contemplating his next move.”

During the six-week trial at Ipswich Crown Court forensic evidence revealed that Wright's DNA was on three of the murdered women and fibres linked him to all five victims. There was also CCTV footage of him cruising the red-light district in his Ford Mondeo.

Wright writes: “I did expect to be found not guilty when the verdict came in. It was like knives going into my heart. My thoughts were 'this cannot be happening, they have made a mistake, have I stepped into the wrong court room, they cannot be talking about me'. It just did not seem real.”

He was on suicide watch for two months when he was imprisoned following his arrest in December 2006 and for three days after he was convicted. But he says he remains positive and is now bearing up well.

“Obviously the day I was convicted I was just numb with shock and kept thinking that I was in a dream or nightmare and I would wake up soon but I am bearing up pretty well at the moment, even though nearly two years of my life have been taken away from me.
“I always try to look on the positive side of things just knowing the truth will set me free.”

Wright, who says he was embarrassed about his sexual habits being revealed during the trial, also claims there was no evidence showing that he was the killer.

“The evidence against me started with my DNA being on three of the girls, for which I did not deny my contact with said girls, also many others which was what the police built their case around. All their evidence proved was that I had contact with said girls but not one shred of evidence showed that I killed them.”

Wright, who is on a vulnerable prisoner wing, also revealed what life is like in prison. He admits it “is no holiday camp” but says he has a TV in his cell which he pays for on a weekly basis. He reveals how he started working in the woodwork shop three weeks ago and is also in the process of taking a mathematics course and a computer course. He also uses the gym at weekends.

“I suppose being on the VP [Vulnerable Prisoner] wing every prisoner has their own problems to deal with so everyone more or less keeps themselves to themselves. I have always been a private person so I tend to seclude myself from any conversations or interacting with other prisoners.”

During his trial, Wright said that when his partner Pamela Wright began working night shifts their sex life became “almost non-existent” and he began using street prostitutes. Despite this, and his guilty verdict, the letter claims that Pamela is still in regular contact with him.

“Pam my partner and my brother David visit me on a regular basis which is good because Pam gives me emotional support where my brother gives me strength and support to keep going and to not give up the fight to prove my innocence.”

The letter ends with Wright saying: “If I do not get a re-trial I would be gutted but I will never give up as long as I have breath in my body. I will always fight to prove my innocence because I truly believe that one day I will be with the woman that I love, Pam.”

Killer's family fight for new appeal

Steve Wright's family are now battling to secure him an appeal and remain convinced of his innocence. His brother David, 51, mum Patricia, sisters Jeanette and Tina, and partner Pam, 62, have together raised £10,000 towards an appeal. David, who lives near Bury St Edmunds, is currently working three to four hours a night looking through the case files, which include graphic pictures from the murder scenes as well as witness statements and forensic reports.

He said: “If I had the slightest doubt in my mind that Steve had carried out these murders after seeing those pictures, then I would walk and never speak to him again in my life.” Wright is currently pursuing a second attempt at an appeal after he was refused leave to appeal in July. The family have hired a barrister who is looking at their grounds for appeal. If he thinks they have a good case then he will represent Wright in an open court hearing where he would face three judges. Wright's grounds for appeal are based around two issues - the trial being held in Ipswich and the advice they say he was given by his defence team. David said: “For such a high profile case, one of the biggest trials in British legal history, to be held on the back door of where it happened is unfair.

“Myself and my two sisters bumped into two jury members as the trial was going on while they were shopping. It is impossible to say that they would not be swayed when they could bump into the families of the girls on a daily basis.”

David also claims that his brother was poorly advised. He said that when Wright said 'I do not know how you expect me to answer that I am not a forensic scientist' it was a remark that arose as a result of a discussion with his defence counsel. Wright was also criticised for making 'no comment' during police interviews, but David says this is what he was advised to say. After looking at the police files David says he has two other people who are strong suspects for carrying out the murders.

“With all the evidence that we have got and the grounds for appeal, I think we have got an extremely good case,” he said.

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