Man, 66, in court charged with kidnap and murder of teenage girl in 1999

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A man has appeared before a crown court judge charged with the kidnap and murder of 17-year-old Victoria Hall, who disappeared on her way home from a nightclub in Suffolk in 1999.

Steve Wright, 66, was not asked to enter any pleas when he appeared before Ipswich Crown Court on Monday.

The defendant is due to appear before the same court for a further hearing on September 24.

Judge Martyn Levett discussed a possible trial venue with barristers for the prosecution and defence.

A provisional trial date of January 13, 2025 at Ipswich Crown Court had previously been set, but the judge said this could be moved to a later date at a different court venue.

The Old Bailey was among the possible options that were discussed, with no final decision taken.

Wright, who appeared by prison video-link, sat at a desk and rested his arms on it as he listened to proceedings.

He is accused of killing Victoria, whose body was found in a ditch five days after she was last seen alive.

Victoria, from Trimley St Mary in Suffolk, had left her home on the evening of September 18 1999 for a night-out with a friend at the Bandbox nightclub in Felixstowe.

The girls left the club at about 1am the following morning and parted ways at around 2.20am. That was the last time Victoria was seen alive.

Her parents, Lorinda and Graham Hall, awoke in the morning to discover their daughter had not returned home and a missing persons inquiry was launched.

On September 24, her body was found in Creeting St Peter, around 25 miles from where she was last seen.

The defendant, who has short grey hair and wore a grey T-shirt, answered “I am, yes” when asked if he was Steve Wright.

He was not asked to enter pleas to charges that he kidnapped and murdered Victoria Hall.

Wright, formerly of London Road, Ipswich, is also accused of the attempted kidnap of Emily Doherty in Felixstowe on September 18.

Suffolk Police said a 22-year-old woman had reported that a man had approached and followed her between 3am and 4am on September 18 1999 in High Road East, Felixstowe.

He was also not asked to enter a plea to this.

Wright was remanded in custody until the next hearing on September 24.