David Smith

Background Smith was a lorry driver from Hampton, Middlesex (now part of Greater London). His home was in Markhole Close in Hampton, where he lived with his mother. On his release he became an unlicensed taxi driver, but then attacked another woman who was a passenger after locking the car's doors; she managed to escape by smashing the windscreen. For this he was convicted of unlawful imprisonment and received a suspended sentence. He was later charged with attempting to rape and stab a sex worker in a hotel room, but she refused to give evidence at the trial and the case was dropped. He was a martial arts expert.

Murder of Sarah Crump Smith was put on trial in 1993 for the murder of 33-year-old She was found dead in her west London home on Lady Margaret Road in Southall in August 1991.

Fired as taxi driver, vetting campaign In 1998 Smith, who had returned to working as a taxi driver, was sacked by his employer after they discovered his conviction for raping a woman in 1976. A public campaign was then launched asking for all minicabs in London to be licensed and their drivers properly vetted. Her blood-soaked clothes were found near Smith's home in an alley in Hanworth, west London later in the day, but Walker was missing and an "aggravated missing person inquiry" was set up by police. Her body was so badly decomposed that a pathologist could not be certain of a cause of death, but the mutilation made it clear that it had been as a result of foul play. A police source said: "Smith was a lorry driver travelling up and down the country. We believe he was a serial killer and are going back in time to bring closure for victims' families".