Man on bail for abduction is a suspect in murder hunt

A man already on bail for the failed abduction of a prostitute tonight emerged as one of the suspects in the hunt for the Suffolk serial killer.

The 32-year-old, who has not been named, is currently on police bail after being arrested last month for attempted abduction, assault and drink driving. He currently lives in Needham Market, Suffolk, but is originally from Norwich.

Police today refused to comment on another alleged suspect - a senior police officer from a neighbouring force who is believed to have been a regular client of some of the five victims, including Paula Clennell.

Commenting on the 32-year-old, Det Chief Supt Stewart Gull said the man had been detained and released on police bail without charge following the alleged incident said to have taken place in Hadleigh Road, Ipswich.

He was arrested on November 16 when he was stopped on the A140 at Coddenham and is due to return to Ipswich police station on December 28 to discover whether he will face further action.

Mr Gull said: “Nobody has been eliminated at this stage. We know who that individual is. He has been released on bail. We will take further action if we think it is appropriate.”

He added the incident was the only reported attack he was aware of in or around the Ipswich red-light area in recent weeks.

“I am aware of one incident. It was about a month ago. It was reported to us as an attempted abduction,” Mr Gull said,

He said police were not linking any reports of screams or noises in the red-light area specifically to any of the murders. A guesthouse owner in the Ipswich red-light area said she had heard the “disturbed screaming” of a woman in an alleyway about a month ago. He said he had reported the incident to police at the time.

Mr Gull also said no-one had been arrested or questioned under caution in relation to either the murder or the disappearance of any of the five dead prostitutes.