A STUDENT from West Yorkshire accused of murdering three prostitutes is to appear in court.

Stephen Griffiths, 40, referred to himself as the "Crossbow Cannibal" when he appeared before magistrates last month.

Griffiths, a criminology student, from Holmfield Court, Thornton Road, Bradford, is charged with murdering sex workers Suzanne Blamires, Shelley Armitage and Susan Rushworth.

The former public schoolboy, who attended the private Queen Elizabeth Grammar School in Wakefield in his teens, is charged with murdering Ms Blamires, 36, between May 20 and May 25; murdering Ms Rushworth, 43, between June 22 2009 and May 25 this year; and murdering Ms Armitage, 31, between April 25 and May 25 this year.

Ms Blamires was last seen on May 21, Ms Armitage has been missing since April 26, and Ms Rushworth disappeared on June 22 last year. Body parts belonging to Ms Blamires were found in the River Aire in Shipley on May 25 and tests confirmed that a small piece of human tissue later found in the water belonged to Ms Armitage.

When he was asked for his name during his first appearance at Bradford Magistrates’ Court on May 28, Griffiths replied: "The Crossbow Cannibal." Asked for his address, he answered: "Erm... here, I guess."

A team of more than 130 police staff took part in the investigation into the deaths of the prostitutes, although it is understood the river search is now over.

Griffiths, a psychology graduate undertaking postgraduate research in criminology at Bradford University, was arrested on May 24 at the flat on the edge of Bradford’s red-light district.

At his last appearance at Bradford Crown Court, Griffiths was told a provisional trial date was set for November 16. At that hearing his barrister, Ian Howard, said his legal team was actively seeking a consultation with experts from the top-security Rampton Hospital, in Nottinghamshire, to assess his client’s "mental state".

Griffiths, who is in custody, is due to appear before Mr Justice Openshaw at Sheffield Crown Court for a review hearing. He will appear via videolink from Wakefield Prison.