VIDEO The man accused of murdering five Ipswich women has pleaded not guilty to the charges.Steve Wright, 49, appeared at Ipswich Crown Court this afternoon and heard his trial will start in Ipswich on January 14, 2008.

MURDER accused Steve Wright stood before a packed court room today and denied murdering five women.

Wright, 49, of London Road, Ipswich, appeared in the dock at Ipswich Crown Court and pleaded not guilty to the five counts of murder.

He stands accused of the murders of Tania Nicol, 19, Gemma Adams, 25, Anneli Alderton, 24, Paula Clennell, 24, and Annette Nicholls, 29.

As relatives of the five women saw him for the first time 49-year-old Wright, of London Road, Ipswich rose before Mr Justice Calvert-Smith to confirm his name.

With receding grey hair and wearing a black suit, white shirt and blue tie, he pleaded not guilty in turn to the charges that he murdered Tania Nicol between October 29, 2006 and December 9; Gemma Adams between November 13 and December 3 2006; Anneli Alderton between December 2 and December 11, 2006; Annette Nicholls between December 7 and December 13, 2006; and Paula Clennell between December 9 and December 13, 2006.

Sitting just a few feet in front of Wright was the man who had led the investigation which led to his arrest, Detective Chief Superintendent Stewart Gull.

Beside him were other senior officers from Suffolk Police including Detective Superintendent Roy Lambert.

Relatives of the dead women, including Tania Nicol's father Jim Duell, sat together in the section of the court reserved for a jury during a trial.

Conrad Wright, Wright's father sat at the front of the public gallery, which also held members of the public and the press.

After lengthy legal discussion, Wright was remanded in custody to appear at Ipswich Crown Court on January 14, 2008, when the full trial is expected to begin.

Wright was arrested at his home on December 19 on suspicion of murdering the five women and was charged on December 21. This is the third time he has appeared in court, following an earlier appearance before magistrates.