'Crossbow Cannibal' Stephen Griffiths in failed prison suicide bid
Stephen Griffiths, man accused of killing three prostitutes in Bradford, recovering in prison hospital after failed suicide bid
Thursday, 10, Jun 2010 01:35
By Matthew Champion.
The man accused of murdering three women in Bradford is recovering in a prison hospital after reportedly trying to kill himself in his cell.
Stephen Griffiths, who in his first appearance in court gave his name as "the Crossbow Cannibal", was found unconscious inside his cell at Wakefield prison at 17:00 BST yesterday.
"A prisoner at HMP Wakefield received treatment in the healthcare wing after an incident of self-harm" a Ministry of Justice spokesperson said.
Mr Griffiths, a 40-year-old criminology PhD student from Thornton Road, Bradford, is due to appear in court on November 16th for the start of his trial over the murder of three women, all of whom worked as prostitutes.
He has been charged with the murders of Suzanne Blamires, Shelley Armitage and Susan Rushworth.
Body parts belonging to Ms Blamires, 36, from Allerton, were recovered from the River Aire at Shipley last month. She was last seen on May 21st.
Human tissue identified as belonging to Ms Armitage, 31, also from Allerton, was also found in the river. She had been missing since April 26th.
Ms Rushworth, from Manningham, disappeared on June 22nd last year.