Rosemary West
Encyclopedia
Rosemary Pauline "Rose" West (née Letts) (born 29 November 1953 in Barnstaple
, Devon) is a British serial killer
, now an inmate at HMP Low Newton, Brasside
, Durham
, after being convicted of 10 murders in 1995. Her husband Fred
, who committed suicide in prison while awaiting trial, is believed to have collaborated with her in the torture and murder
of at least 10 young women, many at the couple's home in Gloucester
, Gloucestershire, England.
Fred West
is known to have carried out 11 murders. Rosemary West had no involvement in the first two.
, Devon, to William Andrew and Daisy Gwendoline Letts after a difficult pregnancy. Her mother suffered from depression and was given ECT
while pregnant; some have argued that this may have caused prenatal injury to her daughter. Rosemary grew up into a moody teenager and performed poorly at school.
Rosemary's parents split up when she was a teenager. She lived with her mother before moving in with her father at the age of 16 in Bishop's Cleeve
, near Cheltenham; her father was prone to violence and repeatedly sexually abused
her. At around this time, she began dating West who was living at Lake House Hotel Caravan Park, Stoke Road, Bishops Cleeve. Her father disapproved of the relationship, threatening to call social services and threatening West directly. Rosemary was caring for West's daughter Anne-Marie (by his previous marriage to Rena Costello) and his stepdaughter, Charmaine (daughter of Rena Costello and another man).. West and Rosemary moved in together at the Lake House Hotel Caravan Park; Charmaine briefly attended Bishops Cleeve County Primary School on Tobyfield Road. However, by 1970, Rosemary found herself pregnant by West and they moved to Midland Road, Gloucester.
Rosemary West and her husband were convicted of sexual assault
in January 1973. They were fined for indecent assault of Caroline Roberts (née Owen), who escaped the couple's home after being attacked and reported them to the police. The Wests' typical pattern was to pick up girls from bus stops in and around Gloucester
and imprison them in their home for several days before killing them.
She also periodically worked as a prostitute, often while her husband watched. One of the most frequent visitors to 25 Cromwell Street (51°51′42"N 2°14′36"W), now demolished, was her father, who had abused her from a young age. She was often pregnant and was the mother of eight children. Five of these were fathered by Fred West, while three were fathered by clients she met through prostitution.
It is reported that, even after the birth of her fourth child, Rosemary's father would still visit her for sex, and would then rape Fred's daughter Anne-Marie.
whilst Fred West was serving a prison sentence for petty theft. One of the bodies found at 25 Cromwell Street was that of their daughter, Heather, who was murdered by Fred in June 1987 at the age of 16, after being abused by Rosemary while Fred raped her. The Wests told friends and concerned parties that Heather had gone away to work at a holiday village.
In August 1992 Fred West was arrested after being accused of raping
his 13-year-old daughter three times, and Rosemary West was arrested for child cruelty. This case against them collapsed in June 1993 when their daughter refused to testify in court. All of the Wests' children were removed from their custody to foster homes. This case brought to light the disappearance of Heather West, who had not been seen since 1987, and triggered the major investigation that followed.
against Rosemary West was overwhelming. She went on trial in October 1995, nine months after her husband's suicide. He had hanged
himself in Winson Green Prison with a knotted bed-sheet on 1 January that year, despite being on suicide watch.
The jury was unanimous. On 22 November 1995 West was found guilty of 10 murders. The judge, Mr Justice Mantell, sentenced her to life imprisonment
, saying: "If attention is paid to what I think, you will never be released."
The Lord Chief Justice later decided that she should spend at least 25 years in prison, but in July 1997 Home Secretary
Jack Straw
subjected West to a whole life tariff
. This was only the second instance, in modern times, of a British woman being condemned to die in prison. The other was serial killer Myra Hindley, who has since died. At the start of her sentence, West was held at the same prison as Hindley.
The house at Cromwell Street (along with the adjoining property) was demolished in 1996. The site is now occupied by a public walkway.
In 2001 West announced her intention not to appeal, while maintaining her innocence. West is bisexual and reportedly had a lesbian lover.
Barnstaple
Barnstaple is a town and civil parish in the local government district of North Devon in the county of Devon, England, UK. It lies west southwest of Bristol, north of Plymouth and northwest of the county town of Exeter. The old spelling Barnstable is now obsolete.It is the main town of the...
, Devon) is a British serial killer
Serial killer
A serial killer, as typically defined, is an individual who has murdered three or more people over a period of more than a month, with down time between the murders, and whose motivation for killing is usually based on psychological gratification...
, now an inmate at HMP Low Newton, Brasside
Brasside
Brasside is a suburb of Durham, located in the civil parish of Framwellgate Moor in County Durham, England. It is situated to the north of Durham, and is near to the villages of Pity Me and Newton Hall....
, Durham
Durham
Durham is a city in north east England. It is within the County Durham local government district, and is the county town of the larger ceremonial county...
, after being convicted of 10 murders in 1995. Her husband Fred
Fred West
Frederick Walter Stephen West , was a British serial killer. Between 1967 and 1987, he alone, and later, he and his wife Rosemary, tortured, raped and murdered at least 11 young women and girls, many at the couple's homes. The majority of the murders occurred between May 1973 and September 1979 at...
, who committed suicide in prison while awaiting trial, is believed to have collaborated with her in the torture and murder
Torture murder
Torture murder is a loosely defined term to describe a murder where death has been preceded by the torture of the victim. In many legal jurisdictions a murder involving "exceptional brutality or cruelty" will involve a harsher sentence.-Punishment:...
of at least 10 young women, many at the couple's home in Gloucester
Gloucester
Gloucester is a city, district and county town of Gloucestershire in the South West region of England. Gloucester lies close to the Welsh border, and on the River Severn, approximately north-east of Bristol, and south-southwest of Birmingham....
, Gloucestershire, England.
Fred West
Fred West
Frederick Walter Stephen West , was a British serial killer. Between 1967 and 1987, he alone, and later, he and his wife Rosemary, tortured, raped and murdered at least 11 young women and girls, many at the couple's homes. The majority of the murders occurred between May 1973 and September 1979 at...
is known to have carried out 11 murders. Rosemary West had no involvement in the first two.
Early life and marriage to Fred West
Rosemary Letts was born in BarnstapleBarnstaple
Barnstaple is a town and civil parish in the local government district of North Devon in the county of Devon, England, UK. It lies west southwest of Bristol, north of Plymouth and northwest of the county town of Exeter. The old spelling Barnstable is now obsolete.It is the main town of the...
, Devon, to William Andrew and Daisy Gwendoline Letts after a difficult pregnancy. Her mother suffered from depression and was given ECT
Electroconvulsive therapy
Electroconvulsive therapy , formerly known as electroshock, is a psychiatric treatment in which seizures are electrically induced in anesthetized patients for therapeutic effect. Its mode of action is unknown...
while pregnant; some have argued that this may have caused prenatal injury to her daughter. Rosemary grew up into a moody teenager and performed poorly at school.
Rosemary's parents split up when she was a teenager. She lived with her mother before moving in with her father at the age of 16 in Bishop's Cleeve
Bishop's Cleeve
Bishop's Cleeve is an urbanised village in the Borough of Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire, England, near Cheltenham. The village lies at the foot of Cleeve Hill, the highest point in the Cotswolds.- History :...
, near Cheltenham; her father was prone to violence and repeatedly sexually abused
Sexual abuse
Sexual abuse, also referred to as molestation, is the forcing of undesired sexual behavior by one person upon another. When that force is immediate, of short duration, or infrequent, it is called sexual assault. The offender is referred to as a sexual abuser or molester...
her. At around this time, she began dating West who was living at Lake House Hotel Caravan Park, Stoke Road, Bishops Cleeve. Her father disapproved of the relationship, threatening to call social services and threatening West directly. Rosemary was caring for West's daughter Anne-Marie (by his previous marriage to Rena Costello) and his stepdaughter, Charmaine (daughter of Rena Costello and another man).. West and Rosemary moved in together at the Lake House Hotel Caravan Park; Charmaine briefly attended Bishops Cleeve County Primary School on Tobyfield Road. However, by 1970, Rosemary found herself pregnant by West and they moved to Midland Road, Gloucester.
Rosemary West and her husband were convicted of sexual assault
Sexual assault
Sexual assault is an assault of a sexual nature on another person, or any sexual act committed without consent. Although sexual assaults most frequently are by a man on a woman, it may involve any combination of two or more men, women and children....
in January 1973. They were fined for indecent assault of Caroline Roberts (née Owen), who escaped the couple's home after being attacked and reported them to the police. The Wests' typical pattern was to pick up girls from bus stops in and around Gloucester
Gloucester
Gloucester is a city, district and county town of Gloucestershire in the South West region of England. Gloucester lies close to the Welsh border, and on the River Severn, approximately north-east of Bristol, and south-southwest of Birmingham....
and imprison them in their home for several days before killing them.
She also periodically worked as a prostitute, often while her husband watched. One of the most frequent visitors to 25 Cromwell Street (51°51′42"N 2°14′36"W), now demolished, was her father, who had abused her from a young age. She was often pregnant and was the mother of eight children. Five of these were fathered by Fred West, while three were fathered by clients she met through prostitution.
It is reported that, even after the birth of her fourth child, Rosemary's father would still visit her for sex, and would then rape Fred's daughter Anne-Marie.
Other possible victims
The crimes for which Rosemary West was convicted occurred mainly between April 1973 and August 1978. She murdered Charmaine West, the daughter of Fred's previous wife Rena, in June 1971, and buried her in their previous home of 25 Midland Road, GloucesterGloucester
Gloucester is a city, district and county town of Gloucestershire in the South West region of England. Gloucester lies close to the Welsh border, and on the River Severn, approximately north-east of Bristol, and south-southwest of Birmingham....
whilst Fred West was serving a prison sentence for petty theft. One of the bodies found at 25 Cromwell Street was that of their daughter, Heather, who was murdered by Fred in June 1987 at the age of 16, after being abused by Rosemary while Fred raped her. The Wests told friends and concerned parties that Heather had gone away to work at a holiday village.
In August 1992 Fred West was arrested after being accused of raping
Rape
Rape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse, which is initiated by one or more persons against another person without that person's consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority or with a person who is incapable of valid consent. The...
his 13-year-old daughter three times, and Rosemary West was arrested for child cruelty. This case against them collapsed in June 1993 when their daughter refused to testify in court. All of the Wests' children were removed from their custody to foster homes. This case brought to light the disappearance of Heather West, who had not been seen since 1987, and triggered the major investigation that followed.
Conviction
Although she did not confess, the circumstantial evidenceCircumstantial evidence
Circumstantial evidence is evidence in which an inference is required to connect it to a conclusion of fact, like a fingerprint at the scene of a crime...
against Rosemary West was overwhelming. She went on trial in October 1995, nine months after her husband's suicide. He had hanged
Hanging
Hanging is the lethal suspension of a person by a ligature. The Oxford English Dictionary states that hanging in this sense is "specifically to put to death by suspension by the neck", though it formerly also referred to crucifixion and death by impalement in which the body would remain...
himself in Winson Green Prison with a knotted bed-sheet on 1 January that year, despite being on suicide watch.
The jury was unanimous. On 22 November 1995 West was found guilty of 10 murders. The judge, Mr Justice Mantell, sentenced her to life imprisonment
Life imprisonment
Life imprisonment is a sentence of imprisonment for a serious crime under which the convicted person is to remain in jail for the rest of his or her life...
, saying: "If attention is paid to what I think, you will never be released."
The Lord Chief Justice later decided that she should spend at least 25 years in prison, but in July 1997 Home Secretary
Home Secretary
The Secretary of State for the Home Department, commonly known as the Home Secretary, is the minister in charge of the Home Office of the United Kingdom, and one of the country's four Great Offices of State...
Jack Straw
Jack Straw (politician)
John Whitaker Straw is a British Labour Party politician who has been the Member of Parliament for Blackburn since 1979. He served as Home Secretary from 1997 to 2001, Foreign Secretary from 2001 to 2006 and Lord Privy Seal and Leader of the House of Commons from 2006 to 2007 under Tony Blair...
subjected West to a whole life tariff
Whole life tariff
This is a list of prisoners who have received a whole life tariff through some mechanism in jurisdictions of the United Kingdom.Eight of these prisoners have since died in prison, while three of them have had their sentences reduced on appeal, meaning that there are currently at least 48 prisoners...
. This was only the second instance, in modern times, of a British woman being condemned to die in prison. The other was serial killer Myra Hindley, who has since died. At the start of her sentence, West was held at the same prison as Hindley.
The house at Cromwell Street (along with the adjoining property) was demolished in 1996. The site is now occupied by a public walkway.
In 2001 West announced her intention not to appeal, while maintaining her innocence. West is bisexual and reportedly had a lesbian lover.