Stephens admitted talking to police investgating the disapearance of the girls. He even visited police stations in Ipswich three times to have a chat with those involved in the cases. The first time he dropped in was just a couple of days after one of the first victims was reported missing on 30 October.

One of his neighbours described Stephens in words that could describe almost any policeman rather than a mass murdering sex fiend "He was the sort of person who thought he was a cut above everybody else... he used to just wander around in the back garden. He didn't seem the sort of person that would want anything to do with anyone. If he went to the back to the dustbins, he would not acknowledge we were there. He was a bit of a weirdo.", she said.

Stephens himself said, "On paper I should be attractive, but there is something about me women don't like."

Mrs Barber said she always saw Stephens on his own apart from once when he embraced another man with a hug and a kiss which might confim that he was kicked out of the force for being a poofter which is a big no no in the force generally.

Embaressed, police are now re-examining previous murders in the area, including that of Vicky Hall, 17, who was killed and dumped naked in a water-filled ditch close to nearby Felixstowe in 1999.