 Smith received over 30 criminal convictions for minor offences , beginning in May 1984 when he was fined £ 100 for theft . His record also included handling stolen goods , burglary and driving without a licence , but no violence . At 6 ft 4 in and weighing 22 stone , with a dishevelled appearance and a soft West Country accent , he was considered gentle by those he met . In an interview with the Birmingham Evening Mail following Smith 's trial in July 2001 , Jim Smith , proprietor of the Shamrock Cafe , said , " He was a gentle giant who we named ' Bigfoot ' because his boots always used to leave black marks on the floor . Ninety @-@ nine per cent of the time he had a dirty appearance and looked like he had been working on a car . " 
