FAMILIES of two of the women murdered by serial killer Steve Wright have accused the publishers of a new book of profiting from “blood money”.

Danielle Nuttall

FAMILIES of two of the women murdered by serial killer Steve Wright have accused the publishers of a new book of profiting from “blood money”.

Brian Adams and Kerry Nicol, whose daughters Gemma, 25, and Tania, 19, were killed by Wright, said they believed Hunting Evil: Inside the Ipswich Serial Murders was in bad taste - and urged people not to buy it.

They said they had not been warned or approached about the book and were amazed it had gone ahead without them being consulted.

Mr Adams said: “People can do whatever they want it seems but I am absolutely staggered they want to do something like that without any consultation with any of the families. I am flabbergasted and angry really.”

Miss Nicol said she thought the book had been written in “bad taste” and was shocked at the inclusion of family photographs of her daughter.

“They have not asked my permission. I didn't think they had the right to do this but obviously they have,” she said.

“I didn't give any permission for it. I haven't said anything to them at all. I'm not happy about it. I do not want my photo in a book or pictures of Tania. I think it's in bad taste.”

The book, due to be published on Thursday by Sphere, has been written by Sky News reporter Paul Harrison, who covered the case throughout, and Britain's top criminology expert, David Wilson.

It claims to take readers to “the heart of the story” by providing a “definitive account of a national tragedy” and explores the reasons why someone becomes a serial killer.

But Miss Nicol fears the book is the first of many aimed at making money out of her family's tragedy.

“Why should they profit making books and films? It makes me cross. If they would have asked me I would have said no, obviously.

“I hope people do not read it because they are adding to the profits of this company, I think it's blood money. I am sure the other families feel the same way as me and Brian,” she said.

Last night the book's publisher, Antonia Hodgson, said: “Hunting Evil was written in the belief that as a society we can prevent such terrible tragedies happening again.

“Uniquely, Professor David Wilson's work both as an academic and as a writer focuses on how society can fail the vulnerable in society, and how we can improve crime prevention.

“It is the authors' and the publishers' hope that this will become clear when people have had the opportunity to read the book.”

The publishers said the authors spoke with several people at the heart of the case, including victims' families, who knew they were writing a book.

Forklift trucker Wright, 49, of London Road, Ipswich, was jailed for the rest of his life last month after a jury convicted him of the murders of Miss Nicol, Miss Adams, Anneli Alderton, 24, Paula Clennell, 24, and Annette Nicholls, 29.

The naked bodies of the five women were found in isolated spots around Ipswich over a 10-day period in December 2006.

The six-week trial heard that two of the bodies were arranged with their arms outstretched in a crucifix pose.

Forensic analysis revealed Wright's DNA on three of the women and fibres linking him to all five.

Wright admitted frequenting prostitutes in Ipswich and having sex with four of the victims, though he insisted he did not kill them.

But the jurors accepted the prosecution case that he “systematically selected and murdered” the women - either asphyxiating them or compressing their necks - over a six-and-a-half-week “campaign of murder”.