London Road

by Alecky Blythe

  You looked up the road an’ all you saw was a

  A tented, a tented area uhm outside number 79.

  An’ I thought, ‘Oh no. There’s another prostitute been found.’

  VARIOUS. I got up and all I could see was police cars (Beat.)

  goin’ up the road. Course – ya know –I–

  we knew obviously in charge –

  ya know – somethin’ to do with these poor girls.

  But uhm – And that’s when it all started – it all kicked off.

  Repeat by ALL.

  HELEN. You looked out of the window didn’t you?

  GORDON. Well yeah

  Cos there’s a window up there /

  So you can see right over the next-door house

  An’ sort of police all round there –

  blue tape everywhere an’ everything.

  So I thought ‘Oh, something’s going on there.’

  HELEN. / Oh yeah on our landing –

  GORDON. But then we –

  HELEN. But we thought no more of it really didn’t we?

  GORDON. Well I wouldn’t say we didn’t – /

  we thought quite…/we thought about it all morning really.

  But we went off to work, /

  But then we started hearing on the news,

  that someone had been arrested there –

  or someone had been arrested.

  We put two and two together,

  ‘I think they’ve just arrested our next-door neighbour.’

  HELEN. / No.

  HELEN. / No we thought about it a lot.

  No but we went off to ss… ss –

  HELEN. / Work yeah.

  RON. I got up and all I could see was police cars (Beat.)

  goin’ up the road. Course – ya know –I–

  we knew obviously in charge –

  ya know – somethin’ to do with these poor girls.

  But uhm –

  Underscored:

  By seven o’clock the press were here. They were stuck in front gardens with cameras and God knows what.

  ROSEMARY. They were / parking all over the place. It was pretty awful.

  RON. / Yeah.

  RON. And knocking on doors. They were intrusive. They were a damn nuisance. We had… I think four perhaps five… knock on the door. In fact I said I was gonna put a turnstile out there to charge ’em admission.

  DODGE. There was tapes from this – house – here. S’ I went down to the er-police lady and ‘Ohh, what’s going on?’ Said ‘Oh there’s a press conference at seven.’ By then, erm people in white suits moving around. An’ looked up that way and saw all the world’s press.

  Song – ‘They Like a Good Moan’

  ITN CAMERAMAN. This is London Road (Beat.) so um –

  this is, where – the second suspect, was arrested (Beat.)

  so, I fink Steven Wright, but – at’s, yet to be confirmed,

  but, um (Beat.) an’ it’s, basicly – the p’lice got it cordoned off

  (Beat.) um (Beat.) they’re jus’ lettin’ residents froo at the moment.

  (Beat.) So, um (Beat.) an’ they’re not very happy about the,

  um (Beat.) / intrusion – sortof, um (Beat.) –

  JASON. / No –

  ITN CAMERAMAN and JASON. They like a good moan, They like a good moan.

  Underscored:

  TERRY. An, ye’ow – the biggest – the biggest problem, was – is getting ye car here (Beat.) uuuh – because there was so many, uh so many pa’era’ees (Beat.) wi’ de ye’ow, wid the big vehicles, and the (Beat.) uhh an’ all the discs –

  JUNE. Oh, an’ I told you ’bout… That was like a papperatti th’ – house across the road (Beat.) I can show ye that (Beat.) cuz they wattid – they were knockin’ the fence den te get in the garden te take photograph – cuz they were bringin’ im out, ye see (Beat.) –

  JAN. I had journalists, during the day here (Beat.) / knockin’ on the door, I wouldn’t speak to them. / I –

  TIM. / Did you?

  TIM. / It was absolute chaos. (Pause.) There was – TV vans all the way down the (Laughing.) road (Beat, laughs.) right the way downta the Post Office. (Beat.) Great big cranes up – arc-lights all over the place.

  ITN CAMERAMAN. Iss like, the sa’ellite trucks, the cherry-pickers –

  they, they run from five in the mornin’ –

  te ten or eleven, at night –

  an’ they’re all on genera’ors they’re runnin’ all the time (Beat.)

  and, the lights, there’s bright lights, as well (Beat.)

  so, um – they’re not happy –

  JASON. But they all still watch the news and buy / the papers –

  ITN CAMERAMAN. / Yeah they all – yeah, exactly, yeah.

  ITN CAMERAMAN and JASON. They like a good moan, They like a good moan.

  Underscored:

  HELEN. So we, we came in and then the – then the phone rang. And my daughter said, ‘I’ve just seen you come’ – she lives in Manchester – ‘I’ve just seen you come home.’ I said ‘What?’ She said ‘Yeah.’ So… So then the strange thing was we then, we then turned on the television sort of w… watching ourselves almost ya know. It was – because they were actually filming the house while we were sort of watching thinking ‘Ooh we are inside there.’ So it was all alittle bit weird. It was – it was –

  GORDON. E-mails from people in Singapore saying ‘I’ve just seen your house on the telly.’

  HELEN. Yeaah.

  ROSEMARY. Cos they live next door ya see which is ev, ya know, sort of even worse for them becos they were on television every day.

  RON. I can’t imagine what they went through. It must ha’ bin awful for them.

  ITN CAMERAMAN. I’m uh – I’m workin’fer, oh ITN today (Beat.) I’m – on standby, in case – somefing breaks an’I’ve gotta – rush off somewhere, at least – there’s a cameraman in the area. (Beat.) Cuz, ovisly, the story’s – unfolding all the time (Beat.) ann, there could be somefing else, breaking, you know.

  JASON. Me, I’m uh, uh – I’m a freelance, photographer (Beat.) but I’m – working for – some a the nationals, today. (Beat.) Uum (Beat.) an’ from our point of view iss sorta run outta, s-s-steam a bit, with things ta, photograph – but ya know it was like (Beat.) every day – somebody else / (Beat.) was found i-it almost became, like a daily occurrence of wh, ye know, where we gonna go this morning, an’ an’, and (Beat.) who’s the next poor soul who’s gonna – front up – in a field. Cuz, ovisly, the story’s – unfolding all the time (Beat.) ann, there could be somefing else, breaking, you know –

  JASON. / It’s a bit of a sortof an impasse, really, there’s not, really – much, to, um (Beat.) much to do. And I’m just um (Beat, laughs.) An’ an’ moa – moaning about rates an’ people wanning us to work on Christmas Day. The wife said I can do it if it’s a thousand pounds, and we’ll go on holiday afterwards, but (Beat.) part from that nah.

  ITN CAMERAMAN. They’re runnin’ all the time (Beat.)

  and, the lights, there’s bright lights, as well (Beat.)

  so, um – they’re not happy – so –

  But err –

  JASON. Cos they all still watch the news and buy / the papers –

  ITN CAMERAMAN. / Yeah they all – yeah, exactly, yeah.

  ITN CAMERAMAN and JASON. They like a good moan, They like a good moan.

  LIDL car park at the end of London Road.

  Underscored:

  LIDL MAN. But err, it’s getting really a bit err. I think it’s getting borin’ now. In as much as (Beat.) there’s nothing happenin’ is ther? Ya see what would really make a difference now is if some – another girl was found murdered. / Whilst these two – whilst these two are in custody. Don’t you think?

  LIDL WOMAN. / Which is a horrible thought isn’t it? It’s a horrible thought. And then yerr, it’s a horrible thought.

  Song – ‘My Opinion’

  LIDL MAN. Don’t you think that’s a load of old codswall
op?

  This is my opinion. Cos I’m an ex-cop you see.

  LIDL WOMAN. Too many police doing nothing –

  LIDL MAN. No that’s not a comment –

  LIDL WOMAN. What I mean is they’re all wandering about –

  LIDL MAN. If you wheel somebody into the station

  Without a sort of charge within twenty-four hours,

  My opinion is they are not guilty.

  The whole thing is a bit of a nonsense.

  LIDL WOMAN (simultaneous). Too many police doing nothing.

  LIDL MAN (simultaneous). Innit really? This is my opinion.

  LIDL WOMAN. His opinion.

  LIDL MAN. Don’t quote my name will you though.

  The first one who was arrested

  They did a erm forensic test on his house in November…

  Then there were subsequent murders weren’t there…?

  If you’ve had your house forensically checked

  Would you really then go out and do a murder?

  I wouldn’t think so would you?

  My opinion is they are not guilty.

  The whole thing is a bit of a nonsense.

  LIDL WOMAN (simultaneous). Too many police doing nothing.

  LIDL MAN (simultaneous). Innit really? This is my opinion.

  LIDL WOMAN. His opinion.

  LIDL MAN. Don’t quote my name will you though.

  I was an old, I was an an old-time copper.

  We went on our cycle on our own,

  With just whistle, a truncheon that’s all,

  We didn’t have all these police cars.

  We just knocked on the door,

  Sorted the murder out and left on our bike.

  LIDL MAN and LIDL WOMAN. Ha ha ha ha ha ha. Ha ha ha.

  My opinion is they are not guilty.

  The whole thing is a bit of a nonsense.

  LIDL WOMAN (simultaneous). Too many police doing nothing.

  LIDL MAN (simultaneous). Innit really? This is my opinion.

  LIDL WOMAN. His opinion.

  LIDL MAN. Don’t quote my name will you though.

  LIDL WOMAN. I’m gonna wait for my bus now in case it comes. / It was nice to speak to you which I didn’t much but there you go.

  LIDL MAN. / Ha ha. Bye bye dear.

  LIDL MAN. They won’t come and look for me now will they?

  LIDL WOMAN. Don’t get too cold hanging about.

  Section Five

  London Road sitting rooms.

  JULIE. It was a big shock. It’s a totally different ball game when he’s just up the ro a few – six doors up. Ya know an’ think. Ya know – an’ then-an’ then they were saying ‘Well. Did you recognise ’im di’ – but no one recognised him.

  JAN. I look out of my window (Beat.) and, to the left – is (Beat.) um, the house – that – Steve Wright’s (Beat.) partner rented (Pause.) um (Beat.) an’ where he lived – and – we – d-don’t know exactly what went on – which really unnerves me – I mean, um – my daughter-in-law – came – and (Beat.) she didn’t realise, that it was so close, bec – (Beat.) and she we – ‘Ahh! – My God, you’re so close!’ (Beat.) And she just laughed, you know she thought / it was so exciting / (Beat.) and (Beat.) and (Beat.) I was just (Beat. Laughing.) I could’ve cried / (Beat.) so depressed.

  TIM. / When I –

  TIM. / But when I got –

  TIM. / But when I got –

  TIM. But when I got home that night (Beat.) they were –

  JAN. It was so close.

  TIM. We were inside the cordon (Beat.) –

  JAN. But, I felt so (Beat.) helpless really, / because I – you know, I (Beat.) –

  TIM. / When (Beat.) we then went ta –

  JAN. I hadn’t noticed –

  JAN. We were so naive erm because I don’t sit there staring out the window!

  HELEN. The police were jus’ there erm (Pause.) well twenty-four hours / weren’t they? They just there patrolling. And any pedestrian who walked past was stopped.

  GORDON. / Twenty-four hours a day for two weeks outside.

  London Road police cordon.

  HARRY. Can we walk up there? I only live round the corner. We live in Rendlesham Road. I bin affected really because you can’t get in an’ out of the area. It’s a bit of a nuisance really… But erm. Cos I wanna come through there and then come to here – but it’s not happenin’ is it? Do ya see what I mean? They’ve barricaded that off as well ant they. (To POLICEMAN.) Can we go down that way?

  Dog barks over POLICEMAN’s first line.

  POLICEMAN. Where you going to?… Which way are you going to?

  HARRY. I live in Rendlesham Road but I’m gonna – escort the young lady back round there.

  POLICEMAN. I’m afraid (Beat.) you have to go round…

  HARRY. Back round here?

  POLICEMAN. Yeah… Sorry about that.

  HARRY. S’alright. When’s this gonna be over?

  POLICEMAN. I don’t know I wouldn’t be able to say –

  HARRY. Fridy?

  POLICEMAN. I wouldn’t know. I’d be guessing if I said Friday.

  HARRY. Saturdy?

  POLICEMAN. No, I’d be guessing at Saturday / as well.

  HARRY. / Sunday?

  Beat.

  POLICEMAN. Noo, I’d dunno. Ha ha.

  HARRY. Chris-Monday’s Christmas – it can’t be Mondy-hee hee.

  POLICEMAN. No at’ll stay until after Christmas I reckon.

  HARRY. Christmas ya reckon.

  POLICEMAN. Yeah I reckon.

  Beat.

  HARRY. Can we jus’ come ’ere.

  POLICEMAN. Yeah yerr alright. Yeah no-no worries / about this but.

  HARRY. / Ya see it’s against the law ya see. I don’t know if I’m comin’ or goin’ round this area.

  POLICEMAN. Yeah yerr alright yerr through here. You’re not allowed through this bit basically.

  HARRY. Have you got the bloke that done it then?

  POLICEMAN. Oh I wouldn’t know. They won’t even tell us.

  HARRY. Won’t they?

  POLICEMAN. They won’t even tell us if they’ve arrested him / or not –

  HARRY. / They got that wrong bloke didn’t they – the Mon –

  POLICEMAN. Trimley.

  HARRY. The bloke – the bloke they got Monday – he’s a Pats – he’s a nut job. / He didn’t do nothing like that.

  POLICEMAN. / Yeah ha ha. You should come an’ work for us!

  HARRY. He didn’t do it. Lunatic Monday. I mean God Almighty! Anybody / can say – he’s not Hannibal Lecter or anybody is he? / He’s a simpleton. / ‘I know the girls, I’ve seen all them girls.’ Mind you – flippin’ half the tow – People in th’ town if you were to pull them in probably went / with them girls.

  POLICEMAN. / No he’s n-ha ha.

  / POLICEMAN laughs.

  POLICEMAN. / Yeah probably like that.

  POLICEMAN. / Yeah ha.

  HARRY. ’Cept from yours truly.

  POLICEMAN. No I was gonna say I hopefully…

  HARRY. No. Cos I wouldn’t give fifty quid to a little skaggy little whore.

  POLICEMAN. No. (Beat.) Anyway it looks like my relief’s turned up so I’m going to get a cup of coffee. Can’t be a bad thing. Take care anyway.

  HARRY. Okay an’ you.

  JUNE. They got these tapes across – policewoman there – an’ then – when we went out in the car (Beat.) you had to come up – under the tape with ye car – an’ we ’ad te say ‘95’ / (Beat.) comin’ out – goin’ home –

  TERRY. / Mm-mm. (Beat.) Comin’ out, goin’ home.

  JULIE. We had no post, no bin men. Erm if we had post men a postman had to be escorted by police inside the cordon. It was like that for about a week.

  RON. But (Beat.) the good side I suppose at that time, we were the safest road in Ipswich – so many police. Ha ha.

  DODGE. Look I’ve got four or five bobbies outside my house. I’m in the safest house in Britain. Ya know. The Queen isn’t as well
guarded as we are. While the police is around.

  GORDON. I think it was policing as we’d like to see it all the time. / Bobbies standing at the corner of your house making sure that no nasty people got near you. (Beat.) Ha.

  HELEN. / Ha ha ha.

  HELEN. You’d feel like the uhm – Prime Minister wouldn’t you?

  GORDON. Yeah. Ha ha. The road was ever so quiet / and nobody stole our festive wreath this yea –

  HELEN. / Yeah.

  HELEN. Yeah.

  JAN. When somebody knows you live opposite they wanna know – think you’ve got inside information which I – you haven’t. You’ve just got what’s in the – the journalists are saying – the police don’t tell you anything do they?

  TIM. They’re not allowed to are they? (Laughs.)

  JAN. Well no no. (Pause.) Is all I could say was ‘There are police out there! There’s cordons! They-they check who you are! E – you’ve got to stop at the cordon and be checked who you are!’

  TIM. Excuse me I got to eat.

  JAN. Oh it’s that smelly fish. It’s Tim’s smelly – the fish for the jacket potato. Sorry. I hate the smell of it.

  TIM. But I must say, it didn’t (Beat.) it dint affect me a great deal (Beat.) because, uh (Pause.) I presume I (Beat.) that’s because I (Beat.) done three tours in Northern Ireland – and, you saw all that sorta thing practly every day.

  BBC NEWSREADER (on London Road residents’ TV sets). If you’ve just joined us it’s half past nine – this is BBC News 24 live coverage of the arrival in Court of the forty-eight-year-old man who’s been charged with murdering five prostitutes whose bodies were found in the Ipswich irea-area. Steven Wright will appear inside Ipswich Magistrates’ Court within the next half hour. Our colleague er Chris Eakin is at the Court. An’ Chris just talk us what we’re expecting to happen.

  Outside Ipswich Magistrates’ Court.

  CHRIS EAKIN is live from outside the Magistrates’ Court, surrounded by a crowd of locals who have come to watch.

  CHRIS EAKIN. This is now the moment that Steven Wright faces the charges – is formally charged with these five murders of the five women. All of this has happened quite suddenly. A very dramatic announcement last night, late last night that Steven Wright was charged with these five murders.

  Song – ‘A Wicked Bloody World’

  Sung by people from the CROWD waiting with CHRIS EAKIN.

  WOMAN 1. I’ve been here since about half nine. I just saw ’im come along like with the police sirens an’ that an’ they were, ya know… None of the phototgraphers caught ’im, caught any photos of ’im or anythin’ but just waitin’ to get a glimpse really… I mean I just turned round I said to mi partner I said ‘Right I’m off down town.’ He said. ‘What this early?’ I said ‘Yeah.’ He said ‘Yeah’ he say ‘you wanna go an’ see what’s goin’ on.’ I said ‘Course I flaming do. Too right.’