Where is Rose West now? Inside the serial killer's life behind prison bars

The Sun

2 days ago

ROSE West is a convicted serial killer who murdered ten girls in her Gloucester home.
Her horrifying crime spree was aided by her husband, who was convicted of murdering 12 women.
4
Rose's life behind bars
Rose West, born on November 29, 1953, was imprisoned at HMP Low Newton in Durham, where she was initially kept under guard due to fears that other inmates might attack her.
She was jailed for life in 1995, after being convicted of ten confirmed murders.
After her conviction, West lodged an appeal claiming that her husband committed the crimes alone, and that she had also been abused by him.
The Court of Appeal refused to consider her application back in 1996.
Fred West committed suicide before standing trial, making Rose a widow.
Prisoner Julie McAllister claimed in March 2017 that she pummelled West after being infuriated that she was getting fan mail behind bars.
In 2019 she was reportedly moved to New Hall jail in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, after being threatened by another serial killer.
wedding proposals - with people mailing love letters to her cell.
Netflix documentary delves into the crimes of Fred and Rose West with new testimony and footage
She even received Mother's Day cards from adoring fans in 2020.
Since serving her time in prison, Rose claims that she has found religion and " believes God will forgive her".
She also allegedly applied to change her now-infamous name to Jennifer Jones.
It was also reported that she paid £36 to change her name via deed poll.
A source told The Sun: 'Rose thinks the name will give her some anonymity but there's a lot of anger about it.
'She's chosen the new surname because it's so common and the Christian name just because she's always liked it."
After 30 years in jail, Rose is still 'pleading total innocence' despite being found guilty decades earlier.
Her former lawyer Leo Goatley has urged her to "find redemption" by confessing.
He told the Mirror: 'There is an awful lot Rose knows that she hasn't revealed.
'There isn't much that Fred did that she wasn't aware of. If her inner journey has really gone anywhere since she has been in prison there are things she should say that would help the families of her victims.
'To start with, she could clear up the Mary Bastholm disappearance.
'This blanket pleading of total ignorance of everything that happened is just daft at this point.
'Also she could very simply clear up if there are other victims we don't even know about.'
Reportedly, West is battling with dementia and can barely walk - instead remaining in her cell and watching nature documentaries.
4
Meeting her killer husband
She met Fred West when she was fifteen, whilst waiting at a Cheltenham bus station.
He was 13 years older than her and was living in a caravan.
Rose had been sexually abused by her father, who disapproved of Fred, prompting her to move out with her new partner.
To support herself and her husband, she began working as a prostitute in Gloucester.
Eventually, the pair married in January 1972 and moved to 25 Cromwell Street - the site of their future murders.
4
Rose and Fred West's evil crime spree
Rose murdered her step-daughter Charmaine in June 1971, kicking off a horrifying crime spree.
The pair sexually assaulted Caroline Roberts in 1973, before abducting girls from bus stops around Gloucester.
They would imprison the girls for several days before killing them.
Rose gave birth to eight children, five of which were biologically Fred's.
The other three were fathered by clients whom she met through prostitution.
Fred and Rose murdered their daughter Heather Ann and claimed that she had eloped with her girlfriend, whilst also threatening their living children by saying that they will 'end up' like Heather.
Their sickening crimes began to unravel when Fred was accused of raping his 13-year-old daughter in 1992, and Rose was arrested for child cruelty.
While the case collapsed when their daughters refused to testify, cops launched a major investigation.
Eventually, the bodies of several women were discovered in the Wests' basement and buried in their garden.
In 1995, Rose was convicted of 10 murders whilst Fred admitted to 12 killings.
Before killing himself, Fred confessed to murdering up to 30 women.
Rose West and Myra Hindley
One book, written by West's former lawyer Leo Goatley, claimed that the convict was involved in a love affair with Myra Hindley.
Hindley was a serial killer, known for committing a series of murders alongside her partner Ian Brady.
However, reportedly, West and Hindley's relationship ended on sour terms after the former found her to be manipulative.