Wright tells court he did not harm prostitutes

By Andrew Hough

LONDON (Reuters) - A man accused of murdering five prostitutes in Ipswich denied having anything to do with their deaths despite admitting having sex with them around the time they went missing, a court heard on Thursday.

On the first day of his evidence, Steve Wright, 49, admitted having sex with one of his victims on the day she disappeared, Ipswich Crown Court heard.

He also had sex with another two of his alleged victims shortly before they went missing, jurors were told, but he denied having anything to do with their disappearances.

The court heard he had sex with a dozen prostitutes from the area - including the five he is accused of killing - in the three months before his arrest on December 19.

But under questioning from his barrister, Timothy Langdale, the forklift truck driver denied strangling the woman or having "rough sex" with them.

Asked by Mr Langdale if he "ever put pressure on any of the girls' necks", Wright replied: "Never".

Wright, denies killing Gemma Adams, 25, Tania Nicol, 19, Anneli Alderton, 24, Paula Clennell, 24, and Annette Nicholls, 29, whose naked bodies were found dumped at rural locations around the town within the space of 10 days.

Two victims were found with their bodies deliberately posed in a cruciform shape with their arms outstretched.