Red Light Author Helps In Manhunt4:35pm UK, Tuesday December 19, 2006
A writer who has been researching Ipswich's red light scene for two years believes police have already likely had "eye-to-eye" contact with the Suffolk serial killer.Ray Hollingsworth, 53, author of The Dirty Blonde at the Cash Machine, was a client of Anneli Alderton. She was one of five prostitutes found murdered in the region.
"I was a client of Anneli's about a year ago," he said."She said her name was Annie and I asked her what it stood for and she had to spell Anneli to me. I knew it was her.
"She was a great girl, very energetic. I picked her up in Ipswich and I said to her 'do you want to come back to Colchester?' because I was researching all this stuff.
"Sometimes there was sex with these girls, but sometimes I just wanted to sit down for half an hour and talk to them and ask them questions for my books."
Mr Hollingsworth, from Colchester, Essex, said he had called the police hotline to tell where the women were having sex.
He said: "I have been in touch with the police and I have sent them all the research work I have done. I want to provide any help I can.
"On Saturday I got in touch with the police because I saw the CCTV footage of Anneli.
"There are over 200 places within a five-mile radius where they might go to have sex."
He added: "I suggested police should search the area around one hotel where the girls go to do their business."
Mr Hollingsworth said he had also helped police in their efforts to track the girls' last known movements.
"Annette Nicholls was thought to have disappeared on the Tuesday, but she was with someone I knew on Thursday or Friday," he said.
Mr Hollingsworth added: "I do think police have had eye-to-eye contact with the killer. I just feel it. I think the killer is known to them, it's a feeling I have."
http://news.sky.com/home/red-light-author-helps-in-manhunt/article/13557881 Suffolk police confirmed that Mr Hollingsworth offered his services to them.
Ch Supt Stewart Gull led the murders investigation.
"He was of no help and not a suspect," he said. Since the murders, the police developed a strategy with other agencies to tackle drug-dependent prostitution.
"Prostitution remains a criminal offence and there is a zero-tolerance approach," said Ch Supt Gill.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/suffolk/hi/people_and_places/arts_and_culture/newsid_9346000/9346058.stm