 Smith 's trial began at Leicester Crown Court on 3 July 2001 , where he pleaded not guilty to the three murder charges . The case was prosecuted by Tim Raggatt , QC , and Smith was defended by Rachel Brand , QC . On the opening day of the trial Raggatt told the Court there was " powerful and compelling " scientific evidence linking Smith to the killings . Smith 's defence was that traces of blood found on his clothes were there because police had tampered with evidence , while the trousers belonging to Rosemary Corcoran found at his flat had been among a bag of clothes Smith had stolen from outside an Oxfam shop . 
