In todays Mail (sorry)
Is a serial killer stalking Manchester's canals? More than 60 bodies have been pulled from region's waterways in just six years - and murderer could still be at large, says professor
Professor Craig Jackson made claims a possible serial killer was at large
He said death toll was 'alarming' as many of bodies found in Gay Village
Police dismissed claims and say each case is investigated individually
By GEMMA MULLIN FOR MAILONLINE
PUBLISHED: 14:58, 13 January 2015 | UPDATED: 17:10, 13 January 2015
Fears have been sparked that a serial killer is stalking canals in Manchester after more than 60 bodies were pulled from waterways in just six years.
Professor Craig Jackson, head of psychology at Birmingham City University, said the death toll was 'alarming' and claimed it was possible a killer was at large.
Some of the 61 bodies were discovered around Canal Street - home to many of the city's gay bars and restaurants and known as the 'Gay Village'.
Chris Brahney, 22, was found dead in the Manchester Ship Canal ten days after going missing from a Stone Roses concert in June 2012
The body of Souvik Pal, 18, was found in the Bridgewater Canal
Chris Brahney, 22, was found dead in the Manchester Ship Canal ten days after going missing from a Stone Roses concert in June 2012 (left) while the body of Souvik Pal, 18, (right) was found in the Bridgewater Canal
He told the Daily Star Sunday: 'It is extremely unlikely that such an alarming number of bodies found in the canals is the result of accidents or suicides.
'Canals are not popular suicide spots, especially for men. They are, however, popular dumping sites. And water can be a sure way to erase DNA evidence.
'Suffolk strangler Steve Wright dumped some of his prostitute victims in water so any traces of him would be washed away.'
However Greater Manchester Police has dismissed his claims about a serial killer being on the loose and insist that each individual case is investigated thoroughly.
A spokesman from the force said: 'Greater Manchester Police is committed to thoroughly investigating each and every unexplained death in Manchester and approach each one as potentially suspicious in its initial stages.
Some of the bodies had been found in waterways by Canal Street - the Gay Village of the city
'Only after a robust investigation into the circumstances of each death would investigators deem one to be 'non-suspicious' and pass the file to the coroner.
'The coroner's post mortem would then ascertain the cause of death, which would then be recorded accordingly by the investigating officer.
'None of our investigations are carried out in isolation and as we have said publicly before, we have established no link between the various incidents recorded.
The death of 22-year-old Chris Brahney, from Timperley in Altrincham, was one of the examples cited by Professor Jackson.
Mr Brahney was found dead in the Manchester Ship Canal ten days after going missing from a Stone Roses concert in Heaton Park in June 2012.
He had become separated from his friends following the gig, sparking a massive manhunt across the region.
At an inquest into his death, deputy coroner Joanne Kearsley recorded an open verdict and admitted she simply could not say how he had ended up in the water.
In another death, the body of Manchester University student Souvik Pal, 18, was found in the Bridgewater Canal.
The discovery was made three weeks after he was told to leave a New Year's Eve party at the Warehouse Project dance night in Trafford Park.
He had been seen walking away from the venue with a mystery man and CCTV footage shows only one of the two men returning to the nightclub.
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