Prostitute told of fear before vanishing, but 'needed money'

AFP
Wednesday, December 13, 2006 19:07 IST

IPSWICH: One of five prostitutes feared killed by a serial murderer in eastern England had voiced concerns for her safety in a TV interview given days before she vanished, it emerged on Wednesday.

Paula Clennell, 24, told ITV Anglia that she knew she was taking a chance by continuing to work the streets, but that the need to earn outweighed her fears.

Clennell gave the interview last Tuesday, after the first killing had been confirmed and four days before she disappeared in the quiet port town of Ipswich.

"The girls are probably wary about coming out now," she said.

Viewed from behind, apparently for fear of being identified by police who might pursue her for prostitution offences, she said she was "a bit wary about getting into cars" after the first killings.

She admitted that in the past she had "a couple of nasty experiences," including being beaten up once.

But she added: "I need the money".

Clennell has not been since Saturday, and her body was feared to be one of two corpses found Tuesday south of Ipswich, bringing the death total at the hands of the "Ipswich Ripper" to five.

The corpses of the first two murdered prostitutes, Gemma Adams, 25, and 19-year-old Tania Nicol, who both went missing from Ipswich's red light district, were found on December 2 and 9 respectively.

The strangled body of a third woman, 24-year-old Anneli Alderton, was found on December 10.
On the same day police said they were worried about Clennell, and Annette Nicholls, 29, not seen since December 4, and warned all other prostitutes to stay off streets.

Clennells anguished father, Brian Clennell, said on Wednesday he had no idea his daughter had turned to prostitution to fund a drug habit.

"I'm going through hell," he told the BBC, struggling to control his emotions, adding that his daughter had been "led up the wrong path at the wrong time".