Father of murdered prostitute 'sees similarities'
The father of a prostitute murdered four years ago said he could see “lots of similarities” between his daughter’s death and the murders of prostitutes in Ipswich.
Michelle Bettles, 22, was found strangled in woods near Dereham, Norfolk, in March, 2002.
Her father John Bettles today said police had told him it was too early to say if there was a link between her murder and the deaths of five prostitutes in Suffolk.
“I have been in contact with Norfolk Police in the last three days and I have been told it is too early in the inquiry to start putting links in,” he said.
“Part of the problem is all these girls were doing the same trade. It’s very easy to assume a link when it might not be there.”
Mr Bettles, 51, who lives near Rotherham, Yorkshire, said he could see lots of similarities between his daughter’s death and the Ipswich victims.
“All the places where they have been found are very similar and in each case you would need to know the area very well,” he said.
“Where Michelle was found, you couldn’t have gone down that road if you didn’t know where you were going. It is just like a rabbit warren.
“Another similarity is the fact that Michelle was strangled like these girls.
“It starts to make you wonder whether perhaps with Michelle something went wrong and he had to dispose of her fairly quickly, or it might be a different person altogether.”
He added: “In one way I hope it is the same person, but if I am right then that is very sad because this could have been stopped years ago.
Mr Bettles, who works in IT, said he warned police that his daughter’s killer would strike again.
“I said to police when Michelle’s case was archived that whoever was responsible was going to do it again. It’s like they get a taste for it.”
He said the Ipswich murders had brought back memories of his daughter’s death.
“In the beginning you just can’t believe it’s happening. It’s like a nightmare,” he said.
“You read about it happening and you hear about it on television, but you never think it will happen to real people.
“That is how it feels for quite a few weeks, but then things ease and you start settling back down to normal life, but this has brought it all back.”
Mr Bettles also called for prostitution to be legalised.
“They need to get it off the streets, put it into brothels, police it if that is what they have got to do,” he said.
Mr Bettles said he still hoped someone held the key to his daughter’s murder.
“It was the Queen Mother’s death the weekend Michelle was murdered and obviously this took up all the headlines, but I still hope it might jog people’s memories,” he said.
