Steve Wright charged with murder of Victoria Hall who disappeared 24 years ago in Trimley St Mary
A 66-year-old man has been charged with the kidnap and murder of a teenage girl almost 25 years ago.
Victoria Hall, 17, was last seen alive in the early hours of Sunday 19 September 1999, in High Road, Trimley St Mary.
Earlier today, Steve Wright, formerly of London Road in Ipswich, was charged with kidnap and murder, in connection with the abduction and death of Victoria Hall.
Victoria left home on the evening of 18 September 1999 to go for a night out with a friend at the Bandbox nightclub in Bent Hill, Felixstowe, where they remained until around 1am.
They then went to get some food at the Bodrum Grill in Undercliff Road West, before beginning the walk back to Trimley St Mary.
They parted at around 2.20am near to the junction of High Road and Faulkeners Way.
Victoria was just yards away from her home.
When Victoria’s parents woke-up that morning and discovered that she had not returned home, the police were called and a missing person inquiry commenced.
Five days later, on 24 September, Victoria’s body was found in a ditch beside a field by a dog walker in Creeting Lane, Creeting St Peter, approximately 25 miles away from where she was last seen.
In September 2019, Suffolk Police revealed the case – known as Operation Avon - was now a live inquiry again and being fully reinvestigated by a new team of detectives.
He has also been charged with one count of attempted kidnap in connection with a separate incident occurring the night before Victoria’s disappearance, whereby a 22-year-old woman reported that a man approached and followed her, between 3am and 4am on Saturday 18 September 1999 in High Road East, Felixstowe.
Frank Ferguson, chief crown prosecutor for the Crown Prosecution Service in the East of England, said: “The Crown Prosecution Service has authorised Suffolk Police to charge Steve Wright, 66, with the kidnap and murder of Victoria Hall and the attempted kidnapping of another woman in September 1999.
“We remind all concerned that criminal proceedings against the defendant are active and that he has the right to a fair trial.
“It is extremely important that there should be no reporting, commentary, or sharing of information online which could in any way prejudice these proceedings.”
Wright is remanded in custody and is due to appear before Ipswich Magistrates’ Court on 3 June.