Serial Killer Hunt

1.21.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Mon 20th Sep 2004

Response by Vincent Cable MP to the police announcement that they are no longer hunting separate attackers for the Amelie Delagrange and Marsha McDonnell murders and other attacks:

"I think most local residents had already reached the same conclusion somewhat earlier on the basis of some obvious similarities. But I understand that the murder team had to keep an open mind.

"Despite the lack of a result to date, I have every confidence that police professionalism will prevail. The clear up rate for murder in London is very high. We must pray that an arrest is made before the attacker strikes again.

"Now that the police are looking for one individual rather than several, it is important for them to explain the position of the mentally ill individual who has been detained under the Mental Health Act. Presumably he had nothing to do with the Hampton murder."