Murders show homeless underworld

By Anna Blackburn
BBC News Nottingham

Katie and Zoe's bodies were found buried in a derelict warehouse

Over the past four weeks, jurors, prosecutors and members of the public have been given an insight into the unfamiliar world of the homeless in Nottingham.

The glimpse came during the trial of Mark Martin, John Ashley and Dean Carr - all charged in connection with the deaths of homeless women.

Stories of days spent injecting drugs, shoplifting to buy more drink and drugs and a culture of violence emerged in evidence.

Martin was eventually convicted of the murders of 18-year-old Katie Baxter, 26-year-old Zoe Pennick and Ellen Frith, 25, while Ashley was found guilty of murdering Miss Baxter and Miss Frith at Nottingham Crown Court on 24 February.

Dean Carr was also convicted of the murder of Miss Frith and sentenced to 14 years in prison.

Life is cheap

All those involved in the trial, both killers and victims, were either members of, or closely associated with, Nottingham's homeless population.

Loyalties can also prevent people from getting the help they need

Gary Harvey, Nottingham City Council

Martin has never given a motive for his crimes, either in interviews with the police or in court - as he declined to give evidence during the proceedings.

One insight came from Carl Benniston, a former prison friend of Martin's, who said in court that Martin had confessed to strangling Zoe Pennick and wanted to become Nottingham's first serial killer.

But what did become clear during the trial was the disregard for human life - and how cheap it became in this world of drug takers and alcoholics.

Katie's parents believed she was staying with friends in Nottingham

Steve Baxter, Katie Baxter's father, praised the witnesses for coming forward and said he was very proud of them.

Many people came forward because an unwritten code had been broken, a homeless man killed fellow "survivors" in this community.

Gary Harvey, Nottingham City Council's service manager for housing aid, explained that this "code" was not always helpful to this chaotic group of rough sleepers.

"People who are homeless, or are rough sleepers, can be very supportive to each other but at the same time, can also be very destructive.

"Sometimes they will give commitments to people, for example to lend them money, which are borne out of misplaced loyalties.

The killer has shown no remorse - life was treated very cheaply

Det Supt Kevin Flint, Nottinghamshire police

"These loyalties can also prevent people from getting the help they need because friends will not want to leave people on their own so will not go in for the treatment they need," he said.

He added people within the homeless community could prey on the more vulnerable ones and that intimidation, fear and violence were very real threats.

As Det Supt Kevin Flint, from Nottinghamshire Police, said: "This is the first serial killing that has been investigated in Nottinghamshire and it is a rare occurrence throughout the country.

Zoe was a heroin addict trying to come off drugs

"The killer has shown no remorse. Life was treated very cheaply. He showed no respect for life, none for the families and just did what he wanted to do."

The various agencies involved in this case will now take stock and see if anything could have been done to prevent the murders.

But as Gary Harvey said: "We [the council] have taken the moral decision that to sleep rough is wrong.

"Engagement is the first step and people have to be open to making decisions to change their lifestyle."