Feel better for, that,Tom H? SJ may bring it on himself, but it doesn't take much imagination to understand why.

Ake: on the button!

I'm inclined to agree with those who questioned Divis's recollection. I was living in Belfast at the time, but visited a friend who was a director at Leeds General Infirmary, and was astonished to discover that not a single nurse left the building unaccompanied. Without exception they paired up, or booked taxis, etc. Moreover, people in towns across most of NE England changed their lifestyles to avoid unnecessary risk.

Partly this was because the victims were not exclusively prostitutes. But I saw no evidence that the victims were valued less, or had brought their deaths on themselves, because they were street girls.

Wolfgag, your impression isn't quite right. The police in the present case have gone out of their way to emphasies that they still need help - for instance in finding the victims' clothes, and in identifying where the murders took place. They have said that the murderer may have had an accomplice and - no doubt in the light of past fiascos - they have remained open-minded to the possibility that the murderer might still be out there.