•        Criminology student formally charged
        •        Body parts from missing prostitute
        •        Eighty cops raided suspect's flat
THE university researcher quizzed over the deaths of three prostitutes in the north of England has been charged with their murders.
Stephen Griffiths, 40, a criminology student at Bradford University, was arrested by police at his flat after CCTV images emerged of a woman being executed with a crossbow.
Police confirmed that the body parts pulled from a river were those of missing prostitute Suzanne Blamires, 36, who vanished last week, The Sun reported.
The other missing women are Shelley Armitage, 31, who vanished at the end of last month, and Susan Rushworth, 43, who has not been seen since June last year.
Peter Mann, head of the Crown Prosecution Service West Yorkshire's Complex Casework Unit, said there was enough evidence to charge Griffiths with all three murders.
He said: "Following the arrest earlier this week of Stephen Griffiths, the Crown Prosecution Service has been working closely with West Yorkshire Police.
"I have carefully considered all of the evidence provided to me arising from their investigation into the murders of Suzanne Blamires, Shelley Armitage and Susan Rushworth.
"I have decided that there is sufficient evidence to charge Stephen Griffiths with their murders and that it is in the public interest to do so."
The discovery of the body parts this week led to growing fears a Yorkshire Ripper-style killer is on the loose.
Mr Mann added: "The events of the last few days have understandably been very upsetting for the families and friends of Suzanne, Shelley and Susan as well as for the wider public in Bradford.
"Their families have been informed of my decision by the police and I hope soon to be able to meet them and explain the trial process to them and answer any questions they may have."
The original Ripper Peter Sutcliffe murdered 13 women between 1975 and 1980 - three of them in Bradford.
Mr Griffiths was detained when more than 80 cops including armed police raided his flat in a converted mill to the surprise of the block's security guard, Glyn Tucker, who watched events unfold on CCTV.
CCTV images revealed the moment Ms Blamires is believed to have been killed with the crossbow after being knocked out.
She had been chased down a corridor in the early hours of Saturday before being killed and her body dragged away.

Missing Bradford prostitutes Susan Rushworth, 43, Suzanne Blamires, 36, and Shelley Armitage, 31

[ Last edited by  atomic3d at 28-5-2010 09:27 ]