Mark Martin

Case overview

Mark Martin (born 1981 in Nottingham, England) was a British murderer. He killed three prostitutes in Nottingham between December 2004 and January 2005, declaring his ambition to become "Nottingham's first serial killer". He was nicknamed "The Sneinton Strangler".

Martin killed three women: Zoe Pennick (aged 26), Ellen Frith (aged 25) and Katie Baxter (aged 18).

Martin had two accomplices in his murders: John Ashley and Dean Carr. A further man, Paul Ellis, was involved in the events but was cleared of assisting by helping dispose of Katie Baxter's body.

Timeline

• Dec 29, 2004 — Katie Baxter was last seen leaving a family party.
• New Year's Day 2005 — Zoe Pennick was last heard from.
• between Christmas and New Year 2004 — Zoe Pennick and Katie Baxter went missing within days of each other.
• January 24, 2005 — Ellen Frith’s badly-burned body was discovered by fire crews in a flat in the St Ann's area of Nottingham.
• last February (after the murders) — Zoe Pennick and Katie Baxter were found buried under rubble in a derelict warehouse in Nottingham by a police sniffer dog team.
• January 17, 2006 — A drifter accused of murdering three women in less than a month "relished" the thought of going down in history as his city's first serial killer, a court heard yesterday.
• February 23, 2008 — The Times reported that Martin was one of around 50 prisoners issued with whole life tariffs and were unlikely ever to be released.
• June 25, 2006 — No compensation decision was issued to Zoe Pennick’s father.

The offence

Martin killed three women in Nottingham between December 2004 and January 2005.

Two of his victims, Katie Baxter and Zoe Pennick, were found buried under rubble in a derelict warehouse in Nottingham. Like Ellen Frith, they appeared to have been strangled. Martin partially buried the remains of Miss Baxter and Miss Pennick under rubble.

Ellen Frith’s badly-burned body was found in a blazing flat in the St Ann's area of Nottingham. Martin strangled Ellen Frith following an argument about drug money, and then set fire to the building.

The court heard how the remains of Miss Baxter and Miss Pennick were found in a disused city centre warehouse by a police sniffer dog team. It also heard that the women had been buried under rubble and, like Miss Frith, appeared to have been strangled.

Investigation and evidence

The remains of Miss Baxter and Miss Pennick were found in a disused city centre warehouse by a police sniffer dog team. The women were buried under rubble.

Miss Baxter was last seen leaving a family party on Dec 29, 2004. Miss Pennick, originally from Derby, was last heard from on New Year's Day 2005.

Martin and Ashley made comments to friends about the deaths even before the bodies were found, it was alleged.

Martin had strangled Ellen Frith following an argument about drug money. He then set fire to the building.

Trial

Martin and Ashley denied murder. Paul Ellis (a fourth defendant) denied assisting by helping dispose of Miss Baxter's body.

A jury verdict found three men guilty of murdering homeless women in Nottingham between December 2004 and January 2005.

During the five-week trial, the court heard that Martin bragged about the killings. Martin did not give evidence in court and made no reaction as the jury returned guilty verdicts.

Prosecutor and court statements

Peter Kelson (prosecuting) told Nottingham Crown Court:

"He seemed to be glorying in his notoriety. You will hear evidence that he was relishing the prospect of being known as Nottingham's first serial killer. "He seems to have a fascination with violence towards women, with the crimes he committed and with the suffering his victims endured."

The prosecutor Peter Kelson QC told the jury:

"Martin was relishing in being known as Nottingham's first serial killer. "He seems to have had a fascination with violence against women and the crimes he committed and the suffering his victims endured."

During passing sentence, Mr Justice Butterfield told the 26-year-old:

"The facts of these crimes are so horrific and the level of offending is so serious, you must be kept in prison for the rest of your life. "These matters were committed by you because you positively enjoyed killing, taking the wholly innocent lives of these three young women for your own perverted gratification. "You have not shown a moment of remorse. You have revelled in what you did, glorifying the macabre details of these senseless, brutal and callous killings."

Martin’s statements and boasts

Martin wrote a letter from his jail cell to a friend, Gareth Moyes. The letter included:

"I can't believe I am in jail for murder and three of them as well, ha ha ha."

In court, Martin had boasted (as described during the case) to a prison inmate:

"If you kill one you might as well kill 21."

The prisoner, Scott Sinclair, said Martin seemed proud of what he had done and the fear it generated within the jail.

Martin also made statements about his ambitions and notoriety, including:

"Martin was relishing in being known as Nottingham's first serial killer. "He seems to have had a fascination with violence against women and the crimes he committed and with the suffering his victims endured."

Martin’s ambition was declared in court and during coverage of the trial, including the statement that he wanted to become "Nottingham's first serial killer".

During the trial, it was told that Martin boasted that there was no difference between taking one life and taking 21.

Sentencing

On February 25, 2006, Martin was sentenced to life imprisonment at Nottingham Crown Court for strangling Zoe Pennick (26), Ellen Frith (25) and Katie Baxter (18).

Dean Carr was found guilty of murdering Ellen Frith and received life imprisonment with a recommended minimum of 14 years.

John Ashley was found guilty of taking part in two of the murders and received life imprisonment with a recommended minimum of 25 years. The court cleared Ashley of murdering Zoe Pennick. Ashley was also known as "Cockney John".

A fourth man, Paul Ellis (described as 30, 31 in different places), was cleared of moving Katie Baxter’s body with intent to impede Martin’s arrest, and was cleared of the charge of moving the body with intent to impede Martin’s arrest. Paul Ellis also denied assisting by helping dispose of Miss Baxter's body.

Appeals

The record stated that on 23 February 2008 The Times reported that Martin was one of around 50 prisoners to have been issued with whole life tariffs and were unlikely ever to be released.

Outcome

Three men were found guilty of murdering three women in Nottingham between December 2004 and January 2005. Mark Martin was convicted of murdering Zoe Pennick, Ellen Frith and Katie Baxter, and was sentenced to life imprisonment.

The court cleared Paul Ellis of moving Katie Baxter's body with intent to impede Martin's arrest, and Ashley was cleared of murdering Zoe Pennick.

Aftermath

Compensation decision relating to Zoe Pennick

The father of a murdered Derbyshire woman, Kevin Pennick, was told the family would receive no compensation as his daughter had a criminal record.

Kevin Pennick applied for £11,000 in compensation to start a trust fund for Zoe Pennick’s children. The Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA) said applicants were entitled to appeal decisions.

In a letter to Mr Pennick, a claims officer from CICA said:

"Paragraph 15 of the Scheme requires us to take account of the victim's character as shown by criminal convictions or other evidence. In this case, I have noted that Zoe has a number of criminal convictions recorded which were not spent under the terms of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and I have concluded that a full or reduced award of compensation would be inappropriate."

Kevin Pennick said he was devastated and would appeal, and stated:

"Money at a time like this sounds almost obscene to talk about but the decision, I believe, is morally wrong. It's a very unjust decision. It's certainly added to the distress that we've already been through."

Zoe Pennick was described as a homeless heroin addict whose body was discovered in a disused warehouse in Nottingham. She was strangled and then her body was dumped by Mark Martin who had boasted he wanted to become Nottingham's first serial killer. It came as a shock to Miss Pennick’s family that she had been sleeping rough; her father said she had stolen items to fund her drug habit.

Family statements after the verdict

Speaking after the verdict, Miss Baxter's father Stephen said:

"Katie was a lovely, happy girl with her whole life ahead of her. "Katie was never homeless. She associated with people from the homeless community and although she often stayed in these circles, it was no reason for her to be murdered. She did not deserve to die."

Miss Pennick's father Kevin added:

"The pain of losing my little girl in such a brutal way will always remain with me. "Zoe was not homeless. She had a home to go to but chose to associate with other people who led the homeless lifestyle."