UK UK - Victoria 'Vicky' Hall, 17, Trimley St Mary, Suffolk, 18 Sep 1999

[KarenUK]

This case is close to my heart as I worked in Felixstowe for many years and had met members of Vickys family, including her mother. Vicky was only a year older than me and I sometimes wonder what kind of woman she would have become.

On the 18th September 1999, two weeks before her 18th birthday, Victoria Hall had been out for the evening with her friend Gemma Algar at the Bandbox club in Felixstowe. They'd not had enough money for a taxi so decided to stop and get some chips and walk the two miles home to Trimley St Mary. The pair split up around 2:20am near to their homes and a few minutes later Gemma heard femail screams but thought it was kids messing about.

Friday 25 September 1999 Vickys naked body was found in Creeting St Peter (around 20 miles away) near Stowmarket by a dog walker. Post-mortem examinations showed that she had been asphyxiated.

Adrian Bradshaw from Felixstowe was tried but found not guilty of her murder at Norwich Crown Court in November 2001, since then the case has remained open.

https://www.suffolk.police.uk/news/cold-cases-0/victoria-hall

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-85026/Businessman-cleared-Victorias-murder.html

http://www.ipswichstar.co.uk/news/vicky-hall-murder-case-remains-open-10-years-on-1-175218

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/businessman-cleared-of-murdering-vicky-hall-9241594.html

I would be interested to hear what people think

 

[Ruth Dugdall]

This case is close to my heart too - I'm from the town, and think about Vicky often. I'm also a crime writer, so I've wondered about the case...My feeling has always been that Steve Wright, the Suffolk Strangler, killed her. He knew the area well, and his sister worked in town. And Vicky was found in water, very similar to his victims, and in a similar rural location. Though I've also wondered about Peter Tobin, as I believe one of his victims was in Norfolk, so he was active in East Anglia.
What are your thoughts?

 

[altojack]

This is close to my heart too as I live in Stowmarket so about 3 miles from where her body was found.

I hadn't thought about Peter Tobin for a suspect, but he was in East Anglia. JMO but I thought he was active towards Thetford, I could be wrong, usually am.

To my mind, it has to be some local to the Stowmarket / Creeting area as where the body was found is actually off the B road, down a fairly narrow country lane. The ditch she was in isn't visible from the road if I remember rightly.

Of course the perp could have been someone who worked in the area down that lane, or even used that lane as a cut through to their place of work.

 

[Ruth Dugdall]

You are right about Tobin and the Thetford area. But he was a delivery driver, and it strikes me that it's not so far away, so possible he knew the area.
The killer is certainly someone who knows Suffolk well - as Steve Wright did. Also, Vicky's body was found naked and in water, just like Wright's five victims.
I'm surprised by the lack of info on this case on-line, it seems almost forgotten.

 

[KarenUK]

Great to see this thread is active, thank you so much for your replies.

From the crime scene photos the ditch looks to be between two fields, and a BBC article states "50 yards away from the single-track Pound Road, which runs between Creeting St Peter and Stowupland." BBC News | UK | Body confirmed as missing Vicky
I have used the A14 past this area many times but never actually gone down any of the backroads, Altojack are you able to give me an idea of the location from Google maps?

Google Maps

 

[KarenUK]

I am open minded, but had discounted Steven Wright due to the gap between Vicky's murder and the five girls in Ipswich, he went on such a quick spree in that few weeks I couldn't imagine him killing one girl, pausing for a few years and going mad. I wonder about Peter Tobin too, but if there was a clear link between Vicky Hall and some known killers wouldn't the police have made more of it?
Did the police give up after the not guilty verdict? Too many questions!
*I'm feeling slightly faint that a writer who I have admired has replied to my thread. And about to keel over from embarassment that I said "Femail" in my first post.....

 

[Ruth Dugdall]

*Good to meet you Karen!*
Now, this thing about the killing spree, is that Steve Wright is suspected of killing many more women, and the police visit him regularly but he just isn't speaking. He's been linked to the murder of Suzy Lamplough (remember, Mr Kipper) and also some prostitute killings in Norfolk. Steve Wright's dad lives in Trimley, close to Vicky's house, and it just fits for me.
The police did say, after the jury failed to convict Adrian Bradshaw, that they weren't looking for anyone else, and I think that was a mistake. There was little to suggest Bradshaw was guilty, and it stopped them pursuing other theories.

 

[KarenUK]

*Good to meet you Karen!*
Now, this thing about the killing spree, is that Steve Wright is suspected of killing many more women, and the police visit him regularly but he just isn't speaking. He's been linked to the murder of Suzy Lamplough (remember, Mr Kipper) and also some prostitute killings in Norfolk. Steve Wright's dad lives in Trimley, close to Vicky's house, and it just fits for me.
The police did say, after the jury failed to convict Adrian Bradshaw, that they weren't looking for anyone else, and I think that was a mistake. There was little to suggest Bradshaw was guilty, and it stopped them pursuing other theories.

I'd heard about the link to Suzi and also Michelle Bettles. I suppose as he moved around so much when working for the Navy, on the QE2 and as a lorry driver (my father is a lorry driver so I hate that stereotype, but they do travel all accross Britain) that he could have many more victims that we will never know about. Also Lindi St Clair has said he attacked her back in the 1980s BBC NEWS | UK | England | Hereford/Worcs | Wright 'attacked ex-prostitute'

I can't really remember many details from Adrian Bradshaw's trial, was it just the soil in his car that linked him?

 

[Ruth Dugdall]

That's right, it was soil that was the only evidence the prosecution had. The defence argued that the soil could be from other locations in Suffolk, that it wasn't so specific to Creeting St Peter. Also, like many people, Bradshaw did visit the site after her body was found and the soil could have got in the car then. His girlfriend came back from Australia to testify on his behalf about the soil being from this trip, when she'd also been in the car. The jury acquitted him within one hour and it was unanimous.

Thanks for posting the link about Lindi st Clair.

 

[altojack]

Great to see this thread is active, thank you so much for your replies.

From the crime scene photos the ditch looks to be between two fields, and a BBC article states "50 yards away from the single-track Pound Road, which runs between Creeting St Peter and Stowupland." BBC News | UK | Body confirmed as missing Vicky
I have used the A14 past this area many times but never actually gone down any of the backroads, Altojack are you able to give me an idea of the location from Google maps?

Google Maps

Sorry Karen, I'm useless on computers. The body was found in Pound Lane in a ditch off the lane. I drive into Pound Lane from Stowupland the Dutch would be located on left hand side of the lane about a mile along.

 

[KarenUK]

Sorry Karen, I'm useless on computers. The body was found in Pound Lane in a ditch off the lane. I drive into Pound Lane from Stowupland the Dutch would be located on left hand side of the lane about a mile along.

Haha I'm not much better. This clip from Anglia tonight back in 2009 shows the location and an interview with Vicky's father

 

[altojack]

Haha I'm not much better. This clip from Anglia tonight back in 2009 shows the location and an interview with Vicky's father

So long ago now but I think BBC East did a report from the road after the body was removed. I know you couldn't see the ditch / stream from road driving by in the summer due to long grass. That's what has made me think it's someone local to that area or they have to use that road to get to work.

 

[KarenUK]

So long ago now but I think BBC East did a report from the road after the body was removed. I know you couldn't see the ditch / stream from road driving by in the summer due to long grass. That's what has made me think it's someone local to that area or they have to use that road to get to work.

This shows the tent put up at the crime scene:
Vicky Hall's body found; ITN Creeting St Mary: Body carried away from... Stock Footage Video | Getty Images

I couldn't find the BBC interview, as Ruth says there is so little information online about this case.

Just out of interest here's an article that lists some victims who could be linked to Steven Wright
Other possible victims of Steve Wright

 

[SJ16321]

I've been reading through the various (admittedly limited) press on this case and some things strike me as interesting. The friend dismissed the scream as kids messing about yet neighbours described the screams as "horrifying". The difference between a person screaming in terror and a kid screaming messing about is very clear so it seems bizarre she'd assume it was kids messing about, especially considering it was 2.30 in the morning.

One of the articles said that when they split up, Vicky only had a further 200 yards to go to her house. Thinking back to when I was 17, she was probably extremely inebriated and there's a good chance she was wearing heels which both might have slowed her walking pace a little. However even factoring that in, how long can it realistically take to cover 200 yards? Yet the screams were apparently "minutes" later. This suggests to me that it's possible she may have been speaking to the perp in the street or maybe even speaking to the perp who was sat in the car and they've then bundled her in and drove off.

I think there's a strong likelihood that she knew the killer due to the following. 1) Statistically most victims know their killer. 2) What I mentioned above how it seemingly took her "minutes" to cover just 200 yards. 3) Being taken so close to her house is either extremely bad luck or maybe the perp was sat on the street in his car waiting, as he knew she was due to come back from the night out at any time soon and that last stretch was the only bit of the walk she'd be alone.

As a side point I can't believe they ran with the case against Bradshaw on some flimsy soil evidence and some other circumstantial bits. Ludicrous to think they'd get a conviction with that. I sometimes wonder if they run with these things regardless of whether they think they're the killer or not, just because they're under such scrutiny to get someone in a high profile case.

 

[SJ16321]

Just read the last few bits that I hadn't read earlier and now I'd be stunned if Steve Wright didn't do this. Firstly the death by asphyxiation and no sexual assault match his Ipswich murders and secondly he's got links to the area. This makes him a possible but the clincher for me was this;

"One of the early lines was trying to trace a vehicle that followed a young woman the night before Victoria went missing.

A partial registration was given to police. All the vehicles in the area which contained the partial registration were located through the police national computer. Wright's was one of them, but he was never questioned."

That's one hell of a coincidence if he didn't do it. If he did do it he should just admit it, he's never getting released regardless so it wouldn't exactly cost him any extra jail time.

 

[KarenUK]

Just read the last few bits that I hadn't read earlier and now I'd be stunned if Steve Wright didn't do this. Firstly the death by asphyxiation and no sexual assault match his Ipswich murders and secondly he's got links to the area. This makes him a possible but the clincher for me was this;

"One of the early lines was trying to trace a vehicle that followed a young woman the night before Victoria went missing.

A partial registration was given to police. All the vehicles in the area which contained the partial registration were located through the police national computer. Wright's was one of them, but he was never questioned."

That's one hell of a coincidence if he didn't do it. If he did do it he should just admit it, he's never getting released regardless so it wouldn't exactly cost him any extra jail time.

Sadly as he refuses to admit guilt for even killing the five women he has been convicted for I can't see it happening, somehow he expects people to believe that the mountain of evidence against him is the worlds biggest coincidence, even his family don't believe him.
TV show looks into claim serial killer had 6th victim

I'm not sure if I am allowed to mention this, it may be against TOS, but this article mentions Tom Stephens, the man initially arrested regarding these murders but later released. Although it also states that at the time of his arrest he had only lived in his flat for 3 months, I don't know where he was living in 1999, so this link may be far-fetched
Past murder recalled
Murder police quiz the 'Bishop'

 

[SJ16321]

Sadly as he refuses to admit guilt for even killing the five women he has been convicted for I can't see it happening, somehow he expects people to believe that the mountain of evidence against him is the worlds biggest coincidence, even his family don't believe him.
TV show looks into claim serial killer had 6th victim

I do wonder what made him kill all those people since he didn't sexually assault any of them. What sort of motive could there possibly be? I understand some people are just psychopaths but there's got to be a trigger from his past surely? You don't just wake up one day and decide to start murdering women.

Even if it was Wright I still think it's a good possibility that he'd chosen Vicky before hand as I theorised in a previous post. It's said that he lived in the area so maybe he'd seen her out and about and taken a fancy to her or even just seen her earlier that day. To be grabbed in that 200 yard walk to her house by a randomly wandering perp is almost unbelievably unlucky so I really do think that the perp was ready and waiting for her to return from that night out.

I read a heart breaking interview with her dad where he said they'd only let Vicky go out as it was so close to her 18th birthday, if she'd been a month younger they'd have stopped her going. That to me sounds like it was probably her first proper night out, just so tragic.

 

[KarenUK]

One of the articles said that when they split up, Vicky only had a further 200 yards to go to her house. Thinking back to when I was 17, she was probably extremely inebriated and there's a good chance she was wearing heels which both might have slowed her walking pace a little. However even factoring that in, how long can it realistically take to cover 200 yards? Yet the screams were apparently "minutes" later. This suggests to me that it's possible she may have been speaking to the perp in the street or maybe even speaking to the perp who was sat in the car and they've then bundled her in and drove off.

RSBM

I can remember from the news at the time that she was wearing high strappy shoes with a dress that I had seen in one of my mums home shopping catalogue (Littlewoods, Look Again, or something like that), I was a total tomboy but I liked to imagine myself as waking up girly and able to walk in heels (still a dream, it's not happened yet!). Were her clothes ever recovered? A press release from the police on the 21st of Sept 1999 says she and Gemma took off their shoes to walk home 006372-17 - Press releases - Suffolk Constabulary https://www.suffolk.police.uk/sites/suffolk/files/006372-17_-_press_releases.pdf
The walk from the Bandbox back to Trimley is a heck of a trek, or is that my age speaking?!

Couple of sweet articles with quotes from Vicky's friends, I feel so bad for poor Gemma
Memories of Vicky will live on
Vicky lives on says best friend Gemma
Hall opens in memory of Vicky

 

[SJ16321]

RSBM

The walk from the Bandbox back to Trimley is a heck of a trek, or is that my age speaking?!

Just under 2 1/2 miles according to Google. I'd never walk that these days but would have and did walk similar distances home at Vicky's age. It was a money issue more than anything. Why spend however much on a taxi when you could just use that for a a last round of drinks, a kebab a piece and then walk home.

Also being 1999 they might not have had any choice but to walk home. It wouldn't be surprising if neither of them had a mobile phone yet so if no money for a taxi it's not like they even had the option of phoning parents or friends for a lift.

 

[KarenUK]

<modsnip: Quoted post was removed>

My Dad was a lorry driver in Suffolk for local farmers, carting sugarbeet, wheat , etc. around the area. I didn't realise until speaking to him just before Christmas that he had been loading at a farm nearby to where Vicky was found in the time between Vicky going missing and her body being found. He is a proper ol' Suffolk boy who doesnt show emotion, but I can tell it spooks him that he was nearby. Recently we were in Stowmarket, and on the way home he pointed out the location of where Vicky was found and I took a few of pictures <modsnip> My Dad also said how waterlogged the area was at the time.