UK UK - Suzy Lamplugh, 25, Fulham, 28 Jul 1986 #8

[Rookie D]

Very good read by the excellent Nick Davies, here:

Dangerous, in prison - but free to rape

At 2.30pm on May 14 1993, a 23-year-old woman from Leicestershire drove her mother's car into the centre of Nottingham and parked on the ground floor of a multi-storey car park. For a few moments, she sat sorting through her handbag.

www.theguardian.com

Various police forces totally botched their investigations into his crimes, and if we assume West Midlands Police weren’t much better then we can assume the HFS rapes in / around Birmingham will never be solved, sadly.

Oddly, the HFS rapist who operated in and around the West Midlands, appears to have committed all of his known offenses all within 1 calendar year; 1979/1980.

For some reason, he appears to just stop.

Which means he either moved area to reoffend elsewhere, was incarcerated for something else entirely, or died.

 

[Lady Stoddart-West]

SL and Steve Wright (a steward) DID know each other, because his girlfriend; Diane Cole on the QE2 worked as a window dressed for the shop next to the beauty salon in which SL worked as a beautician.

Wright and Cole ended up getting married.

Cole stated that she sometimes saw Wright talking with SL and that she believed that Wright was attracted to her; but got the impression that there was no reciprocation on SL's part, and that it was a one-sided thing.

It is Cole who provides us the key evidence that at the very least, SL and Wright were on speaking terms.

Cole also stated that she once witnessed SL and Wright talking face to face outside of a staff cabin (likely SL's cabin)

So with SL we have her abducted and murdered, but not necessarily by the serial killer who she knew from her time on the QE2.

That is alarmingly unlucky for her.

It is virtually certain that Wright killed during his time working as a ship Steward. He was said to enjoy going to strip bars when the ship docked in ports.

When the ship had occasional overnight stays in port, there's a viable chance that Wright had various victims who he has never been connected with, because just a few hours later, he would be back on the ship and sailing away to another country.

A transient opportunist is likely how he began his macabre career as a serial killer and/or predator.

Could he have been at the QE2 couple’s wedding on 28th June (?) along with JH & SL, I wonder?

 

[WestLondoner]

Oddly, the HFS rapist who operated in and around the West Midlands, appears to have committed all of his known offenses all within 1 calendar year; 1979/1980.

For some reason, he appears to just stop.

Which means he either moved area to reoffend elsewhere, was incarcerated for something else entirely, or died.

I am fairly sure this has been part of the insinuation that the HFSR was Cannan because Cannan was indeed jailed in 1980 IIRC. Unfortunately the case that this was Cannan collapses when you consider the age, height, and facial appearance of the offender.

 

[Kasparthecat1]

SL and Steve Wright (a steward) DID know each other, because his girlfriend; Diane Cole on the QE2 worked as a window dressed for the shop next to the beauty salon in which SL worked as a beautician.

Wright and Cole ended up getting married.

Cole stated that she sometimes saw Wright talking with SL and that she believed that Wright was attracted to her; but got the impression that there was no reciprocation on SL's part, and that it was a one-sided thing.

It is Cole who provides us the key evidence that at the very least, SL and Wright were on speaking terms.

Cole also stated that she once witnessed SL and Wright talking face to face outside of a staff cabin (likely SL's cabin)

So with SL we have her abducted and murdered, but not necessarily by the serial killer who she knew from her time on the QE2.

That is alarmingly unlucky for her.

It is virtually certain that Wright killed during his time working as a ship Steward. He was said to enjoy going to strip bars when the ship docked in ports.

When the ship had occasional overnight stays in port, there's a viable chance that Wright had various victims who he has never been connected with, because just a few hours later, he would be back on the ship and sailing away to another country.

A transient opportunist is likely how he began his macabre career as a serial killer and/or predator.

Police investigate 'link' between Wright and Suzy Lamplugh

Detectives investigate possible connections between 1986 disappearance of estate agent and Suffolk serial killer Steve Wright

www.theguardian.com

Article from 2008 re: Steve Wright and SJL connection.

 

[kes1972]

Perhaps so but I struggle with the idea that in July 1986 JC would have drive 130 miles to dump a body. He can't have had that many opportunities to recce the area at that point, and later, after he had had time from living in the area, he only went 40 miles from Bristol with SB. Not to say it's impossible.

When she was a beautician in 1984 (1982?) she also mentioned a Bristol businessman, married IIRC. This one is often co-opted as the evidence for a Cannan connection even though he was in the slammer at the time. I suspect any 1986 Bristol connection he claimed would have been based on where AR was to be found.

If only Whitehall1212 were still here! I could do both!

.

 

[Rookie D]

What's slightly odd about Diane Cole's comments regarding Wright, is that when asked by a reporter about whether she felt Wright was responsible for the abduction of SL in 1986, Diane's comments include; "he (Steven) didn't drive at the time, but it makes you wonder was he in on it with somebody else?"

But I always thought that Wright had learnt to drive as early as 1974, when he left school at 16.

So, perhaps Wright could drive, but just didn't tell Diane that he could.

Of course, if he couldn't drive in July 1986, then Wright couldn't have abducted SL in a vehicle.


But if he could drive, then that may have acted as a perfect alibi for him not being considered as a man who could logistically abduct SL.

 

[kes1972]

Galway-a-like pick up

“Thank Christ you have come!”
An odd hop to North End Rd McDonalds? £1.60 fare.

Initial reports of 12 Aug 1986 had taxi pick up on junction of Finlay & Stevenage.

The Crimewatch reconstruction, which you imagine they took some care over & which taxi driver says he witnessed, has pick up to south of there. Either Ellerby or Donerailie.

The houses shown look to be larger & with balconies matching design of ends of Doneralie & Ellerby rather than smaller semis of Stevenage end of Finlay. Although similar up on East of Finlay.

The phrasing on Crimewatch “whilst he was standing there outside” (taxi driver) almost suggests “right ruck” inside a property?

North end, not a million miles from sun road

 

[kes1972]

Ah so, he was a ‘planner’ - will look at him a bit more. Surely a lunch time snatch not best idea?

SL’s effective recent reunion with QE2 folks interesting, I think, as so very recent.

I do think the danger with this case is you see coincidences wherever you look. MJ’s husband a likely chef on QE2 (in Stevenage Rd) in period of SL, etc, for example (although obviously not a SW! & uninvolved).

You never know, mj’s husband ? I have not heard that before the qe2 link.is there any info on him available?

 

[Lady Stoddart-West]

North end, not a million miles from sun road

Also, did ordinary people generally take taxis for relatively short hops?

 

[kes1972]

Galway-a-like pick up

“Thank Christ you have come!”
An odd hop to North End Rd McDonalds? £1.60 fare.

Initial reports of 12 Aug 1986 had taxi pick up on junction of Finlay & Stevenage.

The Crimewatch reconstruction, which you imagine they took some care over & which taxi driver says he witnessed, has pick up to south of there. Either Ellerby or Donerailie.

The houses shown look to be larger & with balconies matching design of ends of Doneralie & Ellerby rather than smaller semis of Stevenage end of Finlay. Although similar up on East of Finlay.

The phrasing on Crimewatch “whilst he was standing there outside” (taxi driver) almost suggests “right ruck” inside a property?

Does anyone know the road bw lived on ??

 

[kes1972]

iam not sure i believe SL and SW even knew each other. yes, they worked on QE2. but does not mean they were friends.

Well being in photos together i am sure they did!

 

[kes1972]

Also, did ordinary people generally take taxis for relatively short hops?

Moves that person out of the area for a later return to tidy up?

 

[lee sumner]

Well being in photos together i am sure they did!

the photo SW father has, but no one has ever seen.

 

[Rookie D]

Was the 2nd e-fit of Mr Kipper produced as a direct result of BW's sighting of SL driving the Fiesta north up Fulham Palace Road with a man sitting next to her?

 

[kes1972]

the photo SW father has, but no one has ever seen.

I have seen one online of them together in the past i will try and find it 4 of the crew together 2 men and 2 women

 

[Lady Stoddart-West]

Was the 2nd e-fit of Mr Kipper produced as a direct result of BW's sighting of SL driving the Fiesta north up Fulham Palace Road with a man sitting next to her?

No it was from one of the Shorrolds witnesses.

 

[Kasparthecat1]

No it was from one of the Shorrolds witnesses.

So it's of the same man, supposedly. Yet they're nothing alike (to me at least).

 

[WestLondoner]

So it's of the same man, supposedly. Yet they're nothing alike (to me at least).

Yes, and this is always glossed over. JD has appeared in documentaries saying of the artist sketch that "That is Cannan", but nobody ever says the efit is. They're either two different people or one is grossly wrong.

 

[Rookie D]

Out of curiosity , there was a house for sale in Stevenage Road, directly opposite Bishop's Park, that was on sale in October 1985.

Sturgis managed the sale

Here is the property in question...

This advertisement was from around 10 months before SL vanished, but my point is that based on the description of the property above; loft conversion, secluded garden, fitted cellar, outside toilet, walk through brick built shed etc... would arguably be an excellent place for someone to conceal a body.

So my question is; could Suzy Lamplugh have been taken into one of the properties within close proximity of Stevenage Road, and then murdered inside the property?

Is there a chance that SL never left Stevenage Road, and that her remains are in still in one of the houses close to where her car was found?

Could the killer have recently purchased a house from Sturgis, that SL sold to him prior to when she went missing?

SL worked at Sturgis for around 18 months IIRC?

I would check every house sale that SL was involved with that was purchased by a male local to the area, from the time she first started working at Sturgis.


Interestingly, the property above would have been on the market when SL was working at Sturgis.

Was this one of the properties that she sold?


Curious.

 

[Angleterre]

Close - Helen McCourt was a 22-year-old insurance clerk who was murdered in 1988 by the landlord of a local pub. Despite her body never being found he was convicted of her murder in 1989 - as you say, largely on forensic evidence: blood and a strand of her hair found in his car, and clothing found nearby. He got life. Helen's mother fought for decades to change the law around parole for killers who refuse to reveal the location of a victim's body. Helen's killer never did. Her efforts resulted in the Prisoners (Disclosure of Information About Victims) Act 2020, which has become known as "Helen's Law." It requires the Parole Board to consider whether a convicted murderer or paedophile has disclosed information about the whereabouts of a victim's remains or of indecent images.

Excellent find. It can't be Cannan but off the description it could be the same man as at 37SR.

Another excellent find - an original proving they knew JC was not the HFSR in 1987.

Was it FPR or North End Road? The latter abuts Earl's Court and Hammersmith. PBs can be quite hard to locate. Makes no difference to your key point tho - "Su Su" the "uptown girl" was not SJL.

Do we know who she was? It's quite disgraceful in my view that this and the HFSR insinuation keep coming up to incriminate Cannan when the plod know perfectly well it's not true.

Worse than bizarre: it's mendacious and quite sinister.

Brilliant find, well done. Exactly the cutting I've been after for years to prove the police knew the HFSR was the wrong age, build and appearance to be Cannan, which doesn't stop them insinuating that it was.

I was very close to the Helen McCourt investigation. My uncle Brian ( RIP ) was the drayman for the pub and saw and spoke with Simms the day after her disappearance. In addition, the forensic evidence that sealed Simms fate was one of Helen’s earrings found in Simms bed in his living accommodation above the pub. In the 1990’s I had the pleasure of being the Police supervisor of a new young recruit- Mike McCourt. Growing up and observing the way in which the Police dealt with Helen’s disappearance and subsequent murder , Mike was so enamoured by them that he decided to give back to community policing and he joined Merseyside Police where I supervised him at Walton Lane police station. It was always believed and is still to this day as far as I’m aware, it’s believed that Simms disposed of Helen’s body in the quarry of a local mine which was no longer open but consisted of mainly lime and it’s believed that the quantity of lime present wss sufficient to have absorbed and destroyed her body. Due to the decade that this occurred, cadaver dogs were not yet available and were a thing of the present, many years later. It’s so sad because even now her mum Marie McCourt , still spends her time searching for her daughter. She subsequently lobbied for and won the passing of a bill in parliament called Helen’s law’ which means that now, if a convicted perpetrator refuses to state where a body has been concealed, he will not be allowed to apply to parole for early release and although the sitting judges who alongside MP’s were responsible for the bills passing, sadly it could not be applied retroactively meaning that Simms was paroled by the time Helen’s law was enacted,sadly. My uncle Brian who worked for the local brewery ‘ Greenalls ‘ operating in Warrington and which covered the St Helens site , knew Simms for a number of years and although my uncle had such an amazing personality and got along well with all the public houses for which he was their drayman, always noted that Simms was a really strange fellow and was the only PH he visited where Simms wouldn’t engage and described Simms as very strange in manner wich was so unusual to my uncle because he was so universally liked by all his customers, he could never quite engage in any rappour with Simms due to what he called as long as he had known Simms throughout his years visiting the republican houses on his routes