Christie and his wife, Ethel, were key witnesses for the prosecution. Christie denied that he had offered to abort Beryl's unborn child and gave detailed evidence about the quarrels between Evans and his wife. The defence sought to show that Christie was the murderer, highlighting his past criminal record. Christie had previous convictions for several thefts and for malicious wounding. The latter case involved Christie striking a woman on the head with a cricket bat. But his apparent reform, and his service with the police as a Special constable, may have impressed the jury. The defence also could not find a motive for which a respected person like Christie would murder two people, whereas the prosecution could use the explanation in Evans's confessions as Evans's motive. Unlike Christie, Evans had no previous convictions for violence, but his conflicting statements undermined his credibility. Had the police conducted a thorough search of the garden and found the bones of two previous victims of Christie, the trial of Evans might not have occurred at all.