John
05-27-2010, 07:16 PM
Stephen Griffiths has been charged with the murder of three women in West Yorkshire, the Crown Prosecution Service has said.
The 40-year-old mature student is due to appear in court in Bradford on Friday.
He is accused of murdering Suzanne Blamires, Shelley Armitage and Susan Rushworth.
The remains of Ms Blamires, 36, were found in the River Aire at Shipley on Tuesday. She disappeared from Bradford last week.
At a news conference outside Trafalgar House police station in Bradford, Peter Mann, of the CPS, 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 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.
A statement from Susan Blamires' mother, Nicky, 54, said: "Unfortunately my daughter went down the wrong path and she did not have the life she was meant to have.
"She was a much-loved daughter, sister and niece and what has happened to her will haunt me to the day I die.
"Suzanne was a bright, articulate girl who went to college and was training to be a nurse.
"Even though she ended up on the wrong path she tried to protect her family and kept herself to herself so people knew very little about her.
"She always knew she could come home and that the door was always open. We also saw her all the time and were always there for her."
The 40-year-old mature student is due to appear in court in Bradford on Friday.
He is accused of murdering Suzanne Blamires, Shelley Armitage and Susan Rushworth.
The remains of Ms Blamires, 36, were found in the River Aire at Shipley on Tuesday. She disappeared from Bradford last week.
At a news conference outside Trafalgar House police station in Bradford, Peter Mann, of the CPS, 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 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.
A statement from Susan Blamires' mother, Nicky, 54, said: "Unfortunately my daughter went down the wrong path and she did not have the life she was meant to have.
"She was a much-loved daughter, sister and niece and what has happened to her will haunt me to the day I die.
"Suzanne was a bright, articulate girl who went to college and was training to be a nurse.
"Even though she ended up on the wrong path she tried to protect her family and kept herself to herself so people knew very little about her.
"She always knew she could come home and that the door was always open. We also saw her all the time and were always there for her."