66-year-old Steve Wright has appeared at the Old Bailey charged with the brutal kidnap and murder of 17-year-old Victoria Hall – a chilling crime that rocked Suffolk over 25 years ago.
Disappearance and Death of Victoria Hall
Victoria Hall, a teenager from Trimley St Mary in Suffolk, vanished after a night out at Felixstowe’s Bandbox nightclub on September 18, 1999. Last seen walking home in the early hours, she never made it through the door.
Her lifeless body was found five days later dumped in a ditch at Creeting St Peter, some 25 miles away from where she was last spotted.
Wright Denies Charges at Old Bailey
Steve Wright, formerly of London Road, Ipswich, entered a video link hearing from Long Lartin Prison in Worcestershire on Wednesday. While he denied the kidnap and murder of Victoria at a previous Ipswich Crown Court hearing, he has yet to plead to an attempted kidnap charge involving another woman in Felixstowe.
Wearing a grey sweatshirt, Wright was remanded in custody ahead of his trial, set to begin on February 2, 2026, at the Old Bailey. Mr Justice Bennathan also announced a further case management hearing will be scheduled.
Cold Case Reopened After Two Decades
The shocking murder remained unsolved for more than 20 years. Suffolk Police reignited the investigation in 2019, and Wright was finally charged in June 2024 after fresh forensic evidence and new witness statements came to light.
Authorities continue to urge anyone with information about Victoria’s disappearance and murder to come forward and help bring justice to the teen’s family.
