The two women were both sleeping rough in Nottingham

Mark Martin, 26, and John Ashley, 34, both of no fixed address deny murdering Zoe Pennick, 26, Katie Baxter, 18, and Ellen Frith, 25.

Dean Carr, 30, denies murdering Ms Frith and Paul Ellis, 31, denies a charge of moving a body. Both are also of no fixed address.

The jury heard Mr Martin wanted to be Nottingham's first serial killer.

It is alleged that the first two women - who were found in a derelict warehouse in Nottingham - were killed between 31 December 2004 and 11 February 2005.

He [Mr Martin] seems to have had a fascination with violence against women and the crimes he committed and the suffering his victims endured Prosecuting, Peter Kelson QC

Mr Martin and Mr Ashley are accused of their murders.

They are also accused, along with Mr Carr, of killing Ms Frith in January 2005.

Her body was found in a burnt-out flat in Marple Square in St Ann's.

Paul Ellis, also believed to be of no fixed address, denies helping Mr Martin to move Miss Baxter's body to where it was later found in a derelict warehouse.

It is believed all three women were strangled.

'Lead role'

The court heard Mr Martin was obsessed with death, wanting to be Nottingham's first serial killer, and he later bragged to a fellow prison inmate: "If you kill one you might as well kill 21."

Prosecuting, Peter Kelson QC told the court: "He seems to have had a fascination with violence against women and the crimes he committed and the suffering his victims endured.

"It is the prosecution case that this body of evidence will show that Mr Martin took the lead role in these three murders."

He said Mr Martin had taken the lead in the killings, but was helped by the other two accused who are alleged to have admitted their guilt to other homeless people in and around Nottingham.