Suzy Lamplugh murder suspect dies in prison aged 70

John Cannan was jailed for a minimum of 35 years in 1989 for the rape and murder of Bristol newlywed Shirley Banks, along with a further sexual offence, an attempted kidnapping and two offences of abduction with intent to engage in unlawful sexual intercourse.

He was the suspected murderer of Bournemouth insurance clerk Sandra Court, whose body was dumped in a ditch on the Avon Causeway.

The friendly, popular and bubbly 26-year-old had been strangled after a night out to celebrate her last day as an employee at Ambassador Life, a subsidiary of Abbey Life, in 1986.

She was on the verge of a new life as a nanny in Majorca when her life was cut tragically short.

UNSOLVED MURDER: Sandra Court, who died in 1986

The final day of Sandra’s life was dominated by leaving celebrations, which ended at Steppes nightclub in St Swithun’s Road, Bournemouth.

A taxi driver took her to her sister’s home in Downton Close, Throop just after 3am and she told him she would wait outside because her sister was out.

But a group of teenagers on a Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme walk later that morning discovered her fully clothed body in a water-filled ditch.

In 2002 he was named as the prime suspect in the 1986 disappearance of estate agent Suzy Lamplugh, which he denied.

Ms Lamplugh was declared dead, presumed murdered, after going missing in July 1986 at the age of 25.

She left her west London offices to meet a mystery client known only as "Mr Kipper" for a flat viewing and was never seen again.

Suzy Lamplugh disappeared at the age of 25 in 1986 (Handout/PA)

Her car, a white Ford Fiesta, was found abandoned in Stevenage Road, Fulham, and police believe she was abducted and murdered.

Cannan was questioned in prison in connection with the incident. However, no charges were brought.

In 2018, police carried out excavations at Cannan’s mother’s former home in Sutton Coldfield but nothing was found.

A Prison Service spokesperson said: “HMP Full Sutton prisoner John Cannan died on 6 November. As with all deaths in custody, the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman will investigate.”

In October of last year the parole board found he was too dangerous to release.

The panel heard Cannan still insisted that he was innocent and had not engaged in any accredited programmes to address the risk of reoffending while in jail.

It was told that at the time of his crimes, Cannan thought he was entitled to sex whenever he wanted it, preferred it to include violence and wanted power and control over women.

He was a category A prisoner, those who pose the highest risk to the public.

The panel concluded: “After considering the circumstances of his offending, the progress made while in custody and the evidence presented at the hearing, the panel was not satisfied that release at this point would be safe for the protection of the public.

“Nor did the panel recommend to the Secretary of State that Mr Cannan should be transferred to an open prison.”