River remains prostitute killed by crossbow

ONE of three sex workers allegedly murdered in Bradford was killed by a crossbow, a coroner has revealed.

A post-mortem examination found Suzanne Blamires, 36, died from severe head injuries caused by a crossbow bolt and a knife, coroner Roger Whittaker said yesterday.

Mr Whittaker, sitting at Bradford Coroner's Court, formally opened inquests into the deaths of Ms Blamires and Shelley Armitage, 31.

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Police found body parts belonging to both women in the River Aire at Shipley earlier this year and detectives were able to establish Ms Armitage had died even though they had only recovered a small piece of her spine.

Det Supt Sukhbir Singh told the hearing: "She would not have been alive with this piece of spine missing from her body."

Mr Whittaker told Mr Singh he was anxious to be informed if detectives found the remains of 43-year-old Susan Rushworth, another Bradford sex worker who disappeared last year.

If her remains were not recovered he would apply to the Lord Chancellor to open an inquest without a body, he added.

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Mr Whittaker released the remains of both Ms Blamires and Ms Armitage back to their families so funerals could be carried out and adjourned both inquests pending the conclusion of the trial of Stephen Griffiths, who is accused of killing all three women.

Earlier this month Griffiths, of Thornton Road, Bradford, appeared in Sheffield Crown Court via videolink from prison and was told his case would be heard again on October 15 at Bradford Crown Court.

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