A criminology student has given his name as "the crossbow cannibal" as he appeared in court charged with the murders of three prostitutes.
Former public schoolboy Stephen Griffiths, 40, is accused of killing Suzanne Blamires, Shelley Armitage and Susan Rushworth, who all went missing in Bradford.
Griffiths, who was wearing a black shirt and navy blue jeans, appeared at Bradford Magistrates' Court on Friday morning.
Asked to confirm his name, he said: "The crossbow cannibal." Asked for his address, Griffiths replied: "Erm... here, I guess."
Relatives of some of the victims were in court for the hearing, and some wiped away tears at the start of proceedings while others stared intently at Griffiths.
Court clerk Miss Amarjit Soor read out the charges to Griffiths during the three-minute hearing. She said he was charged with murdering Ms Blamires between May 20 and May 25; murdering Ms Rushworth between June 22, 2009 and May 25 this year, and murdering Ms Armitage between April 25 and May 25 this year.
District Judge Mrs Susan Bouch remanded Griffiths in custody to appear at Bradford Crown Court on Friday afternoon.
After he was led into the dock, Griffiths put his hands together in a prayer-like gesture. One man in the public gallery stood up as Griffiths was brought in and had to be told to sit down.
The remains of Ms Blamires were found on Tuesday afternoon in water just a few yards from where the busy Otley Road crosses the River Aire in Shipley. Ms Blamires was last seen on Friday, while Ms Armitage, 31, has been missing since Monday, April 26, and Ms Rushworth, 43, disappeared on June 22 last year.
Griffiths, a psychology graduate undertaking postgraduate research in criminology at Bradford University, was arrested on Monday at his home on the edge of Bradford's red-light district.
