UK's 'Crossbow cannibal'

LONDON: A doctoral student researching murder is accused of being a killer himself, after appearing in court on Friday charged with killing three prostitutes in northern England.

Stephen Griffiths, 40, is accused of killing the three women, who disappeared in Bradford, about 320km north of London.

When asked to give his name in court, Griffiths said simply "the crossbow cannibal".

Griffiths' research is said to focus on comparing modern policing methods with those of detectives in the 19th century.