Sentence That “Will Make No Difference”
Wright was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 40 years for murder. He received 12 years for Victoria’s kidnap and nine years for Doherty’s attempted kidnap. All terms will run concurrently.
The judge acknowledged the additional sentence would “almost certainly make no difference” given Wright’s existing whole-life order, but said it remained his duty to impose a proper penalty.
“Even if this were your only life sentence, given your obvious dangerousness and your age, it is extraordinarily unlikely you would ever be released,” he said. “Given the sentence already imposed for your other dreadful crimes, it is well nigh certain you will die in prison.”
Outside court, Graham Hall said he was heartbroken his late wife did not live to witness the sentencing, though “she did know it was probably Steve Wright.”
“Victoria was a loving girl with her whole life before her,” he said. “All of this was snatched away by Steve Wright.”
Det Ch Insp Matthew Connick of Suffolk Police praised the Hall family’s resilience and acknowledged the profound impact on Doherty.
“I am glad we have been able to provide answers and a sense of justice delivered,” he said.
Investigators said Wright had made “significant attempts to cover his tracks,” including selling his car, but ultimately had “no alternative” but to plead guilty under the weight of mounting evidence.
For Victoria Hall’s family, the verdict closes one chapter of a tragedy that has echoed across decades — but, as the judge made clear, no sentence can truly measure the life that was lost.
