A mature student, researching criminology as part of a university course, was today appearing in Court, charged with the murders of three Bradford prostitutes.

Stephen Griffiths, 40, was this morning appearing before Bradford magistrates accused of the killings of Suzanne Blamires, aged 36, Shelley Armitage, 31, and Susan Rushworth, 43.

He was due to have a fast-track committal to appear before a judge at Bradford Crown Court this afternoon.

A dismembered body found in the River Aire at Shipley on Tuesday afternoon was yesterday confirmed by detectives to be that of Miss Blamires, of Barkston Walk, Allerton, Bradford.

But West Yorkshire detectives were today still trying to locate the bodies of the two other Bradford vice girls.

The announcement that Griffiths had been charged was made outside Trafalgar House police station in Nelson Street, Bradford, by Peter Mann, head of the Complex Casework Unit with the CPS West Yorkshire, at 5.40pm yesterday.

Mr Mann, flanked by the senior investigating officer, Detective Superintendent Sukhbir Singh, of the Homicide and Major Enquiry Team, told reporters that the Crown Prosecution Service had been working closely with West Yorkshire Police following the arrest of Stephen Griffiths earlier this week.

Mr Mann said: “I have carefully considered all of the evidence provided to me arising from their investigation into the murders of Suzanne Blamires, Shelley Armitage and Susan Rushworth.

“I have decided that there is sufficient evidence to charge Stephen Griffiths with their murders, and that it is in the public interest to do so.

“Accordingly, I have authorised the police to charge him. He will appear at Bradford Magistrates’ Court and he will then be remanded into custody to appear at Bradford Crown Court.

“The events of the last few days have understandably been very upsetting for the families and friends of Suzanne, Shelley, and Susan, as well as for the wider public in Bradford.

“Their families have been informed of my decision by the police and I hope soon to be able to meet them and explain the trial process to them and answer any questions they may have. Mr Griffiths now stands charged with three extremely serious criminal offences and has the right to a fair trial.”

Griffiths was arrested at his third-floor flat in Holmfield Court, Thornton Road, just outside Bradford city centre, on Monday afternoon during an armed police operation involving some 40 officers as part of the investigation into Miss Blamires’s disappearance a week ago today.

He had since been held in custody for questioning by murder squad detectives.

He is a mature student at the University of Bradford, where he is believed to be studying a criminal justice course having already obtained a psychology degree. The university refused to discuss him yesterday.

A spokesman said: “I can’t comment on whether he is a student here.”

Griffiths had lived in the flats – managed by the Accent social housing group – for about 13 years. He grew up in Dewsbury and attended the private Queen Elizabeth Grammar School in Wakefield in his teens.

People in the area where he lived described how he habitually wore a long leather coat.

A woman who works at a business on Thornton Road, but did not want to be named, said: “I used to see him walk past seven or eight times a day. He was a bit of a Goth and wore a long leather jacket that came down to his knees. He usually wore black sunglasses and biker boots.”