Mark Martin | |
|---|---|
| Born | 18 October 1979 |
| Other names | The Sneinton Strangler, Reds |
| Criminal penalty | Life imprisonment with a whole-life tariff [1] |
| Details | |
| Victims | 3 |
Span of crimes | 2004–2005 |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Weapon | Strangulation |
Mark Martin (born 18 October 1979) [1] is a British serial killer who has been dubbed the 'Sneinton Strangler' in the media. He was issued with a whole-life tariff. Two accomplices, John Ashley and Dean Carr, helped him in two murders and they received 25-year and 14-year minimum sentences respectively.
Background
Martin had been born an only child, and he suffered extensive bullying at school due to him having a notable birthmark under his left eye. [1] His father was imprisoned as he grew up and allegedly shared a prison with the Kray Twins. [2] By age 16 he had become a petty criminal. [1] He got married in his early 20s but attacked his wife violently in 2002 and they separated in 2004. [1] By this time he was homeless and slept rough in Nottingham. [1] He and fellow rough sleepers and associates John Ashley and Dean Carr were known and feared amongst the city's homeless community and often stole from their associates. [1] Martin was often known as "Reds" and Ashley was nicknamed "Cockney John". [1] Martin was described as the "leader of the pack", and was said to be a violent, volatile and aggressive bully with a short temper. [1]
Murders
Martin was said to want to seek out fame and notoriety. [1] He openly boasted to others that his ambition was to become "Nottingham's first serial killer". [1]
On the night of 24 January 2005, Martin was with Ashley, Carr and another homeless woman, 25-year-old Ellen Frith, in a derelict flat in Marple Road in Nottingham. [1] The flat was a well-known location for rough sleepers in the area to congregate and take drugs. [1] At some point in the evening Frith started to eat an apple, when Martin grabbed her by the throat and strangled her to death. [1] He then stuck a syringe into her leg before setting fire to the property while he and his associates escaped. [1] Firefighters put out the fire and found the dead body inside. [3]
A man who had been in the flat the night before came forward to tell the police that Martin, Ashley and Carr were in the flat with Frith that night. [1] Investigators established that they were all there at the point the fire started. [3] Police searched for the men and found Ashley, who said that he had witnessed Martin strangle Frith to death. [3] Two days later Martin rang the police to boast "I think you want me for murder". [1] Dean Carr was subsequently arrested and he claimed both Martin and Ashley had killed Frith. [3]
When he was arrested and brought in for questioning, Martin only answered "no comment" to all police questions. [1] He and Ashley were quickly charged with Frith's murder, but Martin then indicated in interviews that he had been responsible for other murders. [1] Witnesses were able to give names of two other homeless women who had recently disappeared from the city: 18-year-old Katie Baxter and 26-year-old Zoe Pennick. [1] Baxter was said to be in a violent relationship with Ashley and both had been missing since December 2004. [1]
Pennick was last seen on 31 December 2004. [1] Members of the homeless community came forward to tell police that Martin had boasted of killing Pennick and Baxter. [3] Investigators discovered that Martin had lured Katie Baxter to his tent with the promise of 2,000 cigarettes before strangling her to death. [1] Police found the bodies of Pinnick and Baxter almost next to each other under rubble when searching the area next to Martin's tent in February 2005. [1] Forensics established that both had died between 30 December 2004 and 6 January 2005. [1]
Charges and convictions
Martin and Ashley were charged with the murders of Pennick and Baxter. [1] Charges were dropped against Ashley for the murder of Frith. [1] Dean Carr was subsequently charged with Frith's murder although was not charged with involvement in the other killings. [1] In January 2006 all three men were tried at Nottingham Crown Court. [1] Several homeless witnesses came forward to testify about the defendants' confessions to them and all three were convicted even though they pleaded not guilty. [1]
Carr was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 14 years for his involvement in the murder of Frith. [1] Ashley received a minimum 25-year tariff for involvement in two of the murders. [1] Martin, the ringleader, was convicted of all three murders and given life imprisonment with a whole-life order, meaning he will likely never be released from prison. [1] On 23 February 2008, The Times reported that he was one of around 50 prisoners to have been issued with whole life tariffs. [4]
Martin became known in the press as the "Sneinton Strangler". [1]
Documentaries
Martin, Ashley and Carr have featured in a number of documentaries:
- In 2012, a series 1 episode of the Crime+ Investigation series When Life Means Life documented the case [3]
- In 2021, a series 6 episode of Britain's Most Evil Killers documented the case [1]
- In 2021, a series 3 episode of the Crime+ Investigation series Killer Britain with Dermot Murnaghan featured the case [2]
See also
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj Pick TV (5 October 2021). Britain's Most Evil Killers: Mark Martin: The Sneinton Strangler (Television documentary). Sky UK. Retrieved 14 April 2022.
- ^
a
b
Crime & Investigation (European TV channel) (25 October 2021).
Killer Britain: Mark Martin (Television documentary). Series 3. Retrieved 14 April 2022.
{{ cite AV media}}: CS1 maint: location ( link) - ^
a
b
c
d
e
f
Crime & Investigation (European TV channel) (30 October 2012). When Life Means Life: Mark Martin and Ernest Wright (Television documentary). Series 1.
{{ cite AV media}}: CS1 maint: location ( link) - ^ Ford, Richard; Strange, Hannah (26 February 2008). "Bellfield joins list of those to die in jail". The Times. London. Retrieved 25 June 2009.
- 1981 births
- 21st-century British criminals
- Crime in Nottinghamshire
- English people convicted of murder
- English prisoners sentenced to life imprisonment
- English serial killers
- Living people
- People convicted of murder by England and Wales
- People from Sneinton
- Prisoners sentenced to life imprisonment by England and Wales