'Not enough proof' in murders trial

Following prosecution submissions that Wright "simply could not restrain himself" and "needed more" than sex, the head of his defence team told Ipswich Crown Court that prosecutors had only demonstrated that his client had "a close association" with the women.

Wright, 49, of Ipswich, Suffolk, denies murdering Gemma Adams, 25, Tania Nicol, 19, Anneli Alderton, 24, Paula Clennell, 24 and Annette Nicholls, 29.

Timothy Langdale QC, for Wright, was making a closing speech to the jury of nine men and three women following a month-long trial. "In this remarkable and unusual case the prosecution have put before you a mass of evidence," said Mr Langdale. "They suggest that it presents an overwhelming case against this defendant. But we ask, an overwhelming case of what?

"All that evidence adduced by the prosecution demonstrates, you may think, quite clearly is a close association between Steve Wright and the five young women who died - and a close association between them and him not many hours before they died. That is not in dispute. What all the evidence does not do, we suggest, is demonstrate beyond a reasonable doubt, to use an old fashioned expression, is that Steve Wright is responsible for their deaths."

Mr Langdale said it was possible that another person had killed the women shortly after Wright had been with them - and left no forensic traces.

He said Wright had sex with other prostitutes at the time the five women disappeared - and those other prostitutes had not been harmed.

Mr Langdale added: "It is far from being the case on the evidence that every time Steve Wright went with a prostitute the girl ended up dead."

Jurors have heard that the naked bodies of the five women, who all worked as prostitutes in Ipswich, were found in isolated locations near the town between December 2 and December 12 2006. Detectives think that all five were strangled or choked.

Wright accepted that he could have been with the women on the night they vanished but denies any involvement in their disappearances or deaths. The hearing will continue when Mr Langdale is expected to conclude his speech.