STEVE Wright's reason for murdering five prostitutes may remain a mystery for ever, a jury was told.

Peter Wright, prosecuting, told Ipswich Crown Court the world may never know what had driven Wright to embark upon his 'campaign' of murder.

But he told jurors it was 'certain' that Wright had murdered Gemma Adams, 25, Tania Nicol, 18, Anneli Alderton, 24, Paula Clennell, 24, Annette Nicholls, 29.

The women, who all worked in Ipswich's red light district, began to vanish in late October 2006.

Their naked bodies were found at isolated locations near the Suffolk town during the first two weeks of December 2006. Two had been laid out in a `cruciform' shape.

The defendant, 49, a former pub landlord who lived in Ipswich's red light district, denies murder.

Prosecutors say the women were asphyxiated or strangled before being dumped and that forensic and other evidence linked Wright to them.

But his lawyer told the jury that although Wright was a user of prostitutes and had sex with four of the women, he was not a killer.

Prosecutor Mr Wright told jurors: "As to what drives a man to embark upon a campaign such as this we may never know.

"But we submit that one thing you can be certain of from the evidence in this case is that . . . Steve Wright . . . is guilty of the murder of each of these women."

Mr Wright outlined a list of forensic and circumstantial evidence as he summarised the prosecution's case against Wright.

He said Wright's DNA was found on Miss Nicholls, Miss Alderton and Miss Clennell.

And he said the scientific evidence showed Wright had been in close contact with Miss Nicholls, Miss Alderton and Miss Clennell shortly before their deaths.

He said Wright's DNA was not found on Miss Nicol or Miss Adams, whose bodies were discovered in water.

But the prosecutor said experts had found fibres which linked Wright with the bodies of all five women and investigations revealed he had tried to cover his tracks by cleaning his car. However, outlining the defence case, Timothy Langdale told the jury Wright would not dispute scientific evidence showing that his DNA - plus fibres from his clothes, car and flat - were found.

And he would admit to having sex with four of the women.

But, said Mr Langdale, Wright denied the murders.

Proceeding