Serial killer Steve Wright pleads guilty to the kidnap and murder of 17-year-old Victoria Hall in 1999, years before murdering five women in the Ipswich area
Victoria, who was an A-level student, disappeared after a night out in Felixstowe, Suffolk and her naked body was found in a ditch five days later about 20 miles (32km) away
Wright also pleads guilty to the attempted kidnap of a 22-year-old woman the night before Victoria disappeared
There were gasps in court as Wright, who previously denied the charges, changed his pleas to guilty. He is due to be sentenced on Friday
Suffolk police says "Victoria's family have waited over 26 years for this day" while the Crown Prosecution Service says justice "has finally been achieved"
It is the first time Wright has admitted any killings - he is already serving a whole life term for the murders of five women in Suffolk in 2006 but always maintained his innocence
Now that today's court hearing has finished, our live coverage will be coming to a close.
You can read more about this morning's hearing, where Steve Wright admitted to the kidnap and murder of Victoria Hall in our online news story.
Wright will be sentenced at the Old Bailey on Friday.
Alice Cunningham
Reporting from the Old Bailey
Serial killer Steve Wright, 67, was due to stand trial today at the Old Bailey in London, accused of kidnapping and murdering 17-year-old Victoria Hall in Suffolk in 1999.
He had also been charged with the attempted kidnap of Emily Doherty, then aged 22, in Felixstowe, the night before Victoria disappeared.
However before the trial was able to start earlier, Wright changed all of his pleas to guilty.
He was previously jailed for life in 2008 for the murders of five women in and around Ipswich.
Today was the first time he has ever admitted being a killer.
Wright is due to be sentenced at the same court on Friday when we are expecting to hear victim impact statements from Victoria's family and friends, as well as from Emily, who was the victim of the attempted kidnap.
Image source, PA MediaAlice Cunningham
Reporting from the Old Bailey
Image source, Julia QuenzlerSteve Wright, a man who previously murdered five women in and around Ipswich, has now admitted killing 17-year-old Victoria Hall in 1999.
Once described as a "nervous and quiet" man, he left Ipswich in shock in 2006 with those killings.
In 2024 he was charged again, this time with an earlier crime: the kidnap and murder of 17-year-old Victoria Hall in 1999.
Assistant Chief Constable Alice Scott, of Suffolk Police, says she is very pleased with today's result.
“Victoria’s family have waited over 26 years for this day and I am so very pleased that we have been able to deliver justice for Victoria and they now know who is responsible for Victoria’s murder," she says.
“I am relieved that the family have been spared the ordeal of a trial however, I am acutely aware that despite today’s conviction, they will continue to live with the trauma of having Victoria ripped away from them at such a young age and in such horrific circumstances."
The officer thanks her team for helping secure the plea from Steve Wright.
Image source, Suffolk PoliceFor the first time in almost 20 years, we can see what Steve Wright now looks like.
This is a new custody photo of him, released after this morning's guilty pleas.
Suffolk Police previously issued an image when the killer was given a whole life sentence in 2008 for the murders of five women in and around Ipswich.
Laura Foster
Senior reporter
Image source, Suffolk PoliceVictoria Hall was a 17-year-old from Trimley St Mary in Suffolk.
In 1999 she was studying her A-levels at Orwell High School in Felixstowe with the view to go to university to study sociology.
Those who knew her described her as "perfect" and someone who was "always laughing and joking".
More than 400 people attended a public memorial service for her in November 1999 at Trimley St Martin church.
In fact, that venue was not big enough to hold everyone, so the service was played on speakers to those who gathered outside, as well as being shown on video screens at a neighbouring church.
Samantha Woolley, a specialist prosecutor who led the Crown Prosecution Service case against Wright, says justice "has finally been achieved" for Victoria Hall who was kidnapped and murdered in 1999.
“The meticulous work we have carried out with Suffolk Police, supporting their restarted investigation over the past six years and working hard to build this case to court, has resulted in Wright admitting his guilt," Woolley says.
“This outcome should make plain that time does not preclude a successful prosecution; we will doggedly pursue justice for the victims of non-recent crimes, no matter how many decades have passed."
She adds her thoughts remain with Victoria's family and all those who "loved and cherished" her, as well as with the victim of the attempted kidnap.
Alice Cunningham
Reporting from the Old Bailey
Today is the first time Steve Wright has ever admitted to murder.
When he was charged with killing five women in and around Ipswich back in 2006, he initially pleaded not guilty.
Following a trial at Ipswich Crown Court in 2008 for these murders, he was found guilty by a jury and then given a whole life jail sentence.
The 67-year-old has never admitted to those killings and always maintained his innocence.
There were gasps in the court as Steve Wright stood in the dock and changed his pleas.
He stood solemnly as he pleaded guilty to two counts of kidnap and a charge of murder, before he was then led out looking expressionless.
Members of the press then filed out following the short hearing.
Mr Justice Bennathan has decided that Steve Wright will be sentenced on Friday.
During that hearing we are expecting various victim impact statements, including from Victoria Hall's family.
All of Steve Wright’s charges were just read out to him in the court where he changed his plea to guilty.
Initially he had denied all those charges at earlier court hearings, hence why a trial was due to start today.
This means he will now be sentenced for those crimes. The judge will decide when that takes place.
Steve Wright has pleaded guilty to the kidnap and murder of Victoria Hall in 1999 as well as the attempted kidnap of a 22-year-old woman the night before.
The judge has just entered the court room and the hearing has begun.
Steve Wright is asked to confirm his name.
Steve Wright has just been brought into the court room.
He is wearing dark glasses and a two-toned grey sweater.
Alice Cunningham
Reporting from the Old Bailey
Members of the prosecution and defence counsel have just arrived in the court room.
We are expecting to get under way in less than 10 minutes when Steve Wright will be brought into the court.
Alice Cunningham
Reporting from the Old Bailey
While we wait for the judge to arrive, there is a large press pack sitting in the benches and there are court staff working.
As well as the judge, the prosecution and defence counsel will arrive shortly before the hearing gets under way.
The judge Mr Justice Joel Bennathan will arrive in the court room shortly.
He is expected to deal with reporting restrictions first.
Alice Cunningham
Reporting from the Old Bailey
Image source, George King/BBCAfter Suffolk Police reopened the investigation in 2019, an arrest was made two years later.
Then in 2024, the force announced it had charged Steve Wright with Victoria Hall's kidnap and murder, as well as the attempted kidnapping of another woman the night before.
Wright then appeared at Ipswich Magistrates' Court shortly afterwards before appearances at Ipswich Crown Court and the Old Bailey where he denied all the charges.
He last appeared at the Old Bailey in January where the judge decided the jury would be told of his past convictions.
Wright's trial for the murders of five women in Ipswich was held at Ipswich Crown Court back in 2008 where he was found guilty.
A large group of reporters has now gathered at the Old Bailey.
We have just been allowed into court room 3 where the trial will be heard today.
The hearing is set to get under way shortly.
Alice Cunningham
Reporting from the Old Bailey
Image source, PA MediaSuffolk Police reopened its investigation into the death of Victoria Hall in 2019, on the 20th anniversary of her disappearance.
As part of the fresh inquiries, new details were released of what Victoria was wearing and the personal items she had on her the night she vanished, as well as CCTV footage showing people visiting the area where her body was found.
At that time the force said it received numerous calls with new information as part of the case.
Victoria's parents, Graham and Lorinda Hall, said it had given them "hope".
