THERE is no smoking gun proving that Steve Wright murdered the five Ipswich prostitutes, his defence team said.

THERE is no smoking gun proving that Steve Wright murdered the five Ipswich prostitutes, his defence team said today.

Starting the closing speech for the defence, Timothy Langdale QC said the body of evidence did not demonstrate “beyond reasonable doubt” that Wright was the person responsible for the women's deaths.

He added: "The evidence certainly raises the a suspicion that he could be the man but that's very far from proving he was the man.

"There's no smoking gun.”

Referring to the case as remarkable and unusual, Mr Langdale admitted the prosecution had provided an overwhelming amount of evidence.

But he said: "We ask an overwhelming case of what?"

He said all the evidence suggested was that Wright had a close association between the women in the hours leading up to their deaths.

Wright, 49, of London Road, Ipswich, denies murdering Tania Nicol, 19, Paula Clennell, 24, Anneli Alderton, 24, Gemma Adams, 25, and Annette Nicholls, 29, between October 29 and December 13, 2006.

The trial continues.