Suffolk Strangler angers victims' families by telling them: 'I feel sorrow and heartfelt pain for your loss'

Suffolk Strangler Steve Wright today broke his silence, insisting he did not murder five prostitutes and believes he will be freed on appeal.

In a letter to his local newspaper from the prison where he is serving a life sentence, 50-year-old Wright claims he does not have a 'violent bone in his body', and feels deep 'sorrow and heartfelt pain' for the families of the five women.

His letter provoked immediate outrage from bereaved relatives, with the father of murdered Paula Clennell saying: 'He should rot in hell.'

Wright, a former QE2 steward of Ipswich, was jailed for life in February after being convicted of murdering Gemma Adams, 25, Tania Nicol, 19, Annette Nicholls, 29, and 24-year-olds Anneli Alderton and Paula Clennell.

Their naked bodies were found in isolated spots near Ipswich after he strangled or suffocated them in a 10-day spree in December 2006. Wright denied all five murders and was refused leave to appeal last month.

In the three-page letter to the East Anglian Daily Times from Long Lartin Prison, Worcestershire, Wright claims the killer is still at large.

He writes: 'People should believe I am innocent because I have gone through my whole life trying to be 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.'

Ipswich murder victims (clockwise from top left) Anneli Alderton, Gemma Adams, Paula Clennell, Tania Nicol and Annette Nicholls

He adds: '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.'

He is now pursuing a second attempt at appealing, saying: 'At this moment in time I feel very confident about my appeal but for obvious reasons I cannot go into detail.'

He adds: 'What I would say to the people of Suffolk is, "Be on your guard because the real killer is still out there."'

On the women's families, he writes: '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 by car.

Wright admitted at the trial that he had visited prostitutes after his partner Pamela Wright began working night shifts and their sex life became 'almost non-existent'.

Now he says he was distressed and embarrassed about his sexual habits being revealed - but dismisses the evidence that he was the killer.

'All their evidence proved was that I had contact with said girls, but not one shred of evidence showed that I killed them,' he says.

He claims that the guilty verdict 'was like knives going into my heart', adding: 'My thoughts were, "This cannot be happening, they have made a mistake. Have I stepped into the wrong courtroom? They cannot be talking about me." It just did not seem real.'

Wright admits he was on suicide watch for two months following his arrest in 2006 and for three days after he was convicted, but says he is now feeling positive 'just knowing the truth will set me free'.

Wright, who is on a 'vulnerable prisoner' wing, says it is 'no holiday camp' and he leads a secluded life. But he adds that he pays for a TV in his cell, uses the jail gym, has taken up woodwork and is studying maths and computing.

Evidence: Jurors make a site visit during Wright's trial

The letter reveals that Ms Wright, 62 - not married to him despite the coincidental surname - makes regular visits.

It ends with Wright saying: '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.'

She has raised £10,000 towards an appeal with Wright's brother David and sisters Jeanette and Tina.

The letter sparked fury from the devastated relatives of Wright's five victims today.

Rosemary Nicholls, of Ipswich - mother of murdered Annette - said she had no doubts that the right man was behind bars.

'I think it is a load of rubbish and it is him trying to get the sympathy of the people of Suffolk and beyond,' she said.

'We sat in the court and listened to all the evidence against him and I cannot possibly see how he is innocent.

Outrage: Brian Clennell, father of murdered Paula (file picture)

'He did not look in court as though he felt any sorrow at all. There was no remorse. He is a disgusting object.'

She added: 'He should do the decent thing and tell us what he did to our daughters and where everything happened.'

Tania Nicol's mother Kerry said Wright should count himself lucky that he is still alive.

She said: 'If we still had the death penalty like we did years ago he would not be alive and he would not have a chance to say what he said in the letter.'

Paula Clennell's father Brian said: 'It has turned my stomach. He can do what he wants. He has hobbies and a TV and the gym and meals every day. They live the life of Riley. I say let him rot in hell.'

Wright's family have hired a barrister who is looking at their grounds for appeal, focusing on two issues - the trial being held in Ipswich and the advice he was allegedly given by his defence team.

His brother David, 51, of Bury St Edmunds, said: 'For such a high-profile case to be held on the back door of where it happened is unfair.'