logo
Where Is Rose West Now? Here's Whether The Serial Killer Is Still In Prison

Where Is Rose West Now? Here's Whether The Serial Killer Is Still In Prison

Forbes16-05-2025

Netflix's Fred and Rose West: A British Horror Story
Fred and Rose West are known as two of the most notorious serial killers in UK history. The story of their victims and the horrific crimes they committed are the focus of Netflix's new docuseries, Fred and Rose West: A British Horror Story. As you're watching, you might be wondering where Rose West is now, whether she's still in prison, and if she's in contact with her kids.
Rosemary West was 15 years old and working at a bakery when she first met Fred. She encountered the 27-year-old at a bus stop and eventually left her job to move in as a full-time nanny for Fred's two children. Fred had previously been married to Catherine "Rena" Costello, with whom he had two daughters, Charmaine and Anne Marie.
Rose gave birth to their first child, Heather, in 1970. She and Fred married in January 1972 and went on to have eight children, many of whom they physically and sexually abused. The couple eventually moved into a house at 25 Cromwell Street in Gloucester, England. According to the West children, their mother was engaged in sex work, although police stated she was 'not known to [them]
The couple's eldest surviving daughter, Mae West, wrote about her parents' obsession with sex in her 2020 memoir, Love as Always, Mum xxx. She recalled sex toys and hardcore porn videos, many filmed by Fred and featuring Rose and others, scattered around the home.
At the same time, Mae also recalled seemingly normal family moments, like the iced cakes Rose baked for their birthdays or the Christmas presents bought from the Argos catalogue. The family also went on camping holidays, during which Mae and her sisters were spared from their father's abuse.
On January 12, 1973, the couple were convicted of kidnapping and abusing Caroline Owens, a girl who had been their nanny for a short period in late 1972. (Owens later testified in Rose's trial that she was kidnapped, sexually assaulted, and held against her will by both Rose and Fred.)
Anne Marie, who was sexually abused by her father, wrote that the children were isolated from the outside world. "We lived in a vacuum at Cromwell Street. No-one was allowed in without Dad's or Rose's permission, not even our playmates from school," she said, per ABC AU.
Netflix's Fred and Rose West: A British Horror Story
Fred and Rose West were accused of raping, torturing, and killing at least 12 people over more than 20 years. Rose was convicted of participating in 10 of the murders. Their victims included their daughter Heather, Fred's ex-wife Rena, Fred and Rena's daughter Charmaine, as well as lodgers, nannies, hitchhikers, and other vulnerable women in the area. Some victims were mutilated, and many were decapitated.
Anne Marie, who had run away from home, alerted authorities about the physical abuse she both saw and experienced in the house. She also expressed concern about her missing sister, Heather. What seemed to be silly rumor about Heather being buried in the outside patio made its way to social workers, who notified police and executed a search of the property.
Police discovered nine sets of human remains throughout the property – dubbed the 'House of Horrors' – including in the cellar, beneath the patio, and near the bathroom and kitchen window. Additional remains were found in nearby fields in Kempley.
One of Fred's first victims was Ann McFall, a woman who lived with Fred in his caravan and was pregnant with his first child. He also killed his former wife Rena, who left him in 1969 amid reports of violence and sexual abuse, according to the BBC.
With Rose's help, Fred went on to kill 10 more women. Some victims, like Carole Ann Cooper and Lucy Partington, were picked up while hitchhiking or waiting at bus stops, while others were lodgers staying in their home.
Perhaps the most horrific of the couple's crimes was the murder of their first-born daughter Heather. Her body was the first discovered when police searched 25 Cromwell Street, and she's believed to be the final victim in their killing spree.
Fred West's biographer Geoffrey Wansall told the BBC that Heather was 'rebellious, difficult, and refused to collaborate with her father's plans.' While Heather and her sister tried to protect each other from their father, Wansall said he believed she threatened to go to the police to tell them about his crimes.
Netflix's Fred and Rose West: A British Horror Story
Fred eventually admitted to murdering the women, but claimed he acted alone. He committed suicide on January 1, 1995, at the age of 53, in his cell at Birmingham Prison, while Rose continued to profess her innocence.
Rose pleaded not guilty to ten counts of murder. The trial lasted more than a month, and she was found guilty of ten murders. She was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole, becoming the only the second woman in the UK's modern history to be given that sentence, per ABC AU.
Rose West is still in prison and serving out her life sentence at HM Prison New Hall.
Shortly after being found guilty, she attempted to appeal her convictions, but her application for appeal was refused, according to Netflix's Tudum.
Rose's daughter Mae wrote in her book that when she visited her mom in prison, she believed she was telling the truth. 'I kept loyal to Mum. She claimed that Dad influenced and controlled her and that she'd made a pact to stay with him as long as he didn't harm us kids,' she said, according to Daily Mail.
Eventually, Mae realized her 'coercive" and 'controlling' mom was guilty of the crimes she denied.
'I didn't realise it at the time, but Mum manipulated me. She started to hug me and hold my hand when I visited her. She'd never shown me any affection before. She signed all her letters 'Love as always, Mum', yet she'd never told me she loved me before,' she wrote.
Mae also called Rose a 'hypocrite,' especially for acting 'high and mighty' in prison – intervening in her children's lives and claiming that her sister Louise wouldn't be a good parent, while ignoring the fact that she and Fred had violently and sexually abused them.
She revealed that she eventually stopped visiting her mother, and Rose has stopped writing to her.
'Her death will be the next thing," Mae said of her then-70-year-old mother. "I suppose she might make a deathbed confession. I just wish she'd tell the truth to the authorities, then we'd all know, wouldn't we?"
As for the rest of the West children, Mae said they are still close. 'They say that families are broken up by these things, but we've stuck together. Actually, we're very lucky."
Fred and Rose West: A British Horror Story is streaming on Netflix. Watch the official trailer below.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Ballymena protests: It is hard to see where the violence will end - and it could go on for weeks
Ballymena protests: It is hard to see where the violence will end - and it could go on for weeks

Yahoo

timean hour ago

  • Yahoo

Ballymena protests: It is hard to see where the violence will end - and it could go on for weeks

The ugly, violent side of this Northern Ireland town was on full display once again last night. Angry mobs went on a rampage through the streets of Ballymena for a second evening as riot police from across this country were drafted in to push back against an escalating ambush. Hours of blaring sirens were punctured by the relentless sound of bricks and petrol bombs landing on police vehicles. The main roads became a war zone with fires in the middle of the carriageway, cars ablaze and the crunch of broken glass at our feet as we walked the streets. Masked and hooded young men were blasted with the water cannon as tensions boiled over in a strained, fragile community. This has been rumbling for days and began when a vigil, held for a girl who was the victim of an alleged sex attack was, according to police, hijacked by anti-immigration mobs. Authorities say "racist thugs" used the incident to plot their attacks on foreign people living locally. One family with three children were said to have hidden in their attic on Monday night as yobs ransacked their home. Another man told me how he had to drag his 84-year-old mum from her home of 40 years "kicking and screaming" as it was simply not safe anymore. "I've never seen anything like this," he said. On Tuesday, many displayed posters on their windows in a desperate bid to ensure their house did not become a target. Others draped union jack flags on full display. "British residents," one piece of paper stated. There is a feeling among the crowds here in Ballymena that the police branding them racists has escalated this row further. In a horrifying twist, we got word in the middle of the night that another house had been firebombed. When we arrived at the scene, it was a charred shell. The property was completely gutted. Neighbours described how several hundred "protesters" had gathered outside before hounding the foreign occupants out. One woman was pacing up and down, crying in distress at what happened. Another man, who lived a few doors, down hinted that this community had "had enough" of "people moving in". He lambasted the media and refused to engage any further. As I drove out of Ballymena at 1.30am I witnessed other families dragging suitcases full of their belongings through the streets. They were flanked by riot police, armed with shields, who helped them to safety in a late-night escape. Read more from Sky News: It is hard to see where this ends. The talk here is that this unrest is only just beginning. It could go on for weeks - and already there are questions about the pressure that will pile on police who will be desperate to de-escalate this mess.

Kate Middleton Steps Out in Heels Despite Museum's Dress Code Advice: 'She Is a Pro'
Kate Middleton Steps Out in Heels Despite Museum's Dress Code Advice: 'She Is a Pro'

Yahoo

time2 hours ago

  • Yahoo

Kate Middleton Steps Out in Heels Despite Museum's Dress Code Advice: 'She Is a Pro'

Kate Middleton wore a pair of heels at the new V&A East Storehouse in East London despite the museum's recommendation that guests wear "flat shoes" while visiting Known for her signature style, Kate has never shied away from stilettos 'She is a pro! She dealt with that!' Tristram Hunt, director of the V&A tells PEOPLEKate Middleton preferred to keep it chic with her go-to stilettos on her latest royal outing. The Princess of Wales, 43, visited the new V&A East Storehouse in East London on Tuesday, June 10, where she arrived dressed in a royal blue suit and a pair of sleek black heels. While Kate looked elegant in her outfit, her footwear didn't technically fit the dress code at the storehouse, which is a branch of the Victoria and Albert Museum. "We recommend wearing practical clothing and flat shoes," the V&A East Storehouse's website reads. "The metal grid flooring is not suitable for stilettos or kitten heels." Kate confidently navigated the visit in her sleek heels, which marked her first public royal engagement since returning from a half-term break with children Prince George, 11, Princess Charlotte, 10, and Prince Louis, 7. Speaking to PEOPLE following Kate's outing, Tristram Hunt, the director of the V&A, said of Kate's chosen footwear: 'She is a pro! She dealt with that!' The visit also aligned with Kate's personal interest in art; she graduated from the University of St Andrews with a degree in art history in 2005. 'It went really well. She was really really focused on the objects, it is really impressive," Hunt continued. 'She had a super energy. She was very energetic and focussed. We last saw her about two years ago," he added." She retains this great passion and interest in creativity and making and design. It was wonderful to be able to host her.' While Kate's trip to the V&A East Storehouse went off without a hitch on Tuesday, she wasn't so lucky while wearing heels during a visit to a new addiction treatment center in Wickford back in 2018. At the time, the princess — who was seven months pregnant — got one of her black heels stuck in a metal drain. Kate kept her sense of humor despite the snafu, and laughed as she pulled her foot out of the grate and greeted staff from the Action on Addiction Community Treatment center. Heels are a staple of Kate's wardrobe. She's bravely worn them while walking on grass at one of Prince William's polo matches, and took workout style to new heights when she wore heels to the gym while visiting the Coach Core program in Essex. Can't get enough of PEOPLE's Royals coverage? to get the latest updates on Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle and more! As much as the princess loves a good heel, she admitted she was relieved to take a brief break from her go-to shoe style while attending an outing with the Scouts at their headquarters outside of London in 2019. While she planted a sapling oak at Gilwell Park during her visit, she remarked, "Normally I have to do this in high heels, this is much easier!" Read the original article on People

In 'Youth Group' comic, evangelical kids sing silly songs about Jesus, fight demons
In 'Youth Group' comic, evangelical kids sing silly songs about Jesus, fight demons

Associated Press

time2 hours ago

  • Associated Press

In 'Youth Group' comic, evangelical kids sing silly songs about Jesus, fight demons

(RNS) — When he was a teenager in the 1990s, Jordan Morris was always up for a bit of mischief — as long as it didn't involve sex or drugs, two things he was sure would kill him. So he went to a megachurch youth group, which promised teenage shenanigans without much danger. The 'sanitized mischief,' as he describes it, was perfect for Morris, who grew up as a nerdy, nervous kid. 'Youth group was great for me,' Morris said. 'We can put on a show, we can sing little songs, we can do little skits. We can toilet paper the pastor's house and clean it up later. And I just don't have to worry that someone is going to try and pressure me into something that I'm scared of.' Now a Los Angeles-based comedy writer and podcaster, Morris has fond memories of his time in youth group. Those memories — and his love for horror movies like 'The Exorcist' — inspired him to write 'Youth Group,' a graphic novel about church teens who fight demons while singing silly songs about Jesus. ___ This content is written and produced by Religion News Service and distributed by The Associated Press. RNS and AP partner on some religion news content. RNS is solely responsible for this story. ___ Think 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer' — the 1990s hit movie and later television series — goes to church. 'I thought it would be a fun challenge,' Morris, whose previous graphic novel, 'Bubble,' was nominated for an Eisner Award, told Religion News Service in an interview earlier this year. 'Can we do one of those religious horror stories, but make it kind of funny?' Morris also said he'd rarely seen stories set in the kind of youth group he'd grown up in. 'I've just never seen that little world written about in a way that I thought was like, accurate or, like, that got what it was about,' he said. Published last year by New York-based First Second Books, 'Youth Group' tells the story of Kay Radford, a theater kid who winds up joining the Stone Mission megachurch youth group after her parents split up. Her mom is a true believer but lonely. Kay is more skeptical but lonely as well and angry at her dad. 'Church might help with all this,' Kay's mom tells her early on. 'I think we both could use some community.' At the youth group, Kay is met by youth leader Meg Parks, a kind but sometimes over-the-top youth leader in pink; a bearded, hippy pastor who turns the 'Pina Colada song' — the Rupert Holmes hit 'Escape' — into a metaphor for spiritual seeking; and a band that churns out parodies like 'I Saw the Christ' sung to the melody of Ace of Base's 'The Sign.' Though fictional, the songs fit the kind of pop culture reference — sometimes known as a 'Jesus juke' — that youth groups can be known for. 'I always think there's something funny about that move, where you take a secular piece of entertainment, like a song that's in the zeitgeist, or a popular movie and try and give the hidden religious message,' Morris said. Kay eventually discovers the youth pastor and some of the older Stone Mission kids also fight demons. That fight becomes personal after one of the demons goes after her dad, and Kay decides to join the battle. Along the way, the Stone Mission kids team up with youth groups from other faiths — Temple Beth Israel, Immaculate Heart parish and the Polaris Coven — to fight off a demon invasion with the help of some training by an order of nuns. Morris said he and illustrator Bowen McCurdy wanted to tell a story that was more than just satire. And while he no longer embraces the faith of his youth, Morris still sees value in the lessons he learned, like the importance of loving your neighbor. 'We wanted to tell a story of people from a lot of different religions coming together with a common goal,' he said. Matthew Cressler, a religion scholar and creator of the webcomic series 'Bad Catholics, Good Trouble,' said comics with evangelical or denominational settings like 'Youth Group' are uncommon. Religion in comics, he said, is often seen as 'a marker of difference': for example, Kamala Khan, the Muslim-American hero known as Ms. Marvel, or Matt Murdock, better known as Daredevil, who is Irish-Catholic. In the 1960s, when Daredevil was created, Catholics were still seen as outsiders to the American mainstream, and many of the most popular heroes, like Batman, were seen as Mainline Protestants. While there were comics for evangelicals, they were often evangelistic, like the controversial Jack Chick tracts or the Christianized adventures of Archie and his friends, published by Spire Comics starting in the 1970s. And evangelicals have often downplayed the kind of sacramental imagery and architecture found in mainline or Catholic settings and try to avoid the kind of visuals needed for comics, said Cressler. Matthew Brake, founder and editor of online publication Pop Culture and Theology, said non-denominational churches often have a 'let's go to the mall aesthetic' and lack the visual clout of Catholicism. 'Nondenominational churches are sort of a cultural underdog,' he said. That may change, Brake said, as creators like Morris, who grew up in non-denominational settings, come of age. And those settings often contain surprises. Although they are most known for things like worship music and purity culture, megachurches also provide space to talk about things like social justice. Still, he wonders if many nondenominational Christians would be the kinds of fans that would enjoy a book like 'Youth Group' or 'Preacher,' a late-1990s comic about an evangelical pastor who ends up possessed by a supernatural being. David Canham, who reviews comics for the secular pop-culture website AIPT — short for 'Adventures in Poor Taste' — had mixed feelings about 'Youth Group.' 'First off, there's plenty of '90s nostalgia — a good-natured tongue-in-cheek look back at many of the silly and absurd things about '90s culture, with a focus on evangelical Christian culture,' he wrote when the book came out. ''Youth Group' delivers on this point.' But the book's take on pluralism — the idea that all religion is on the same side — turned him off as an evangelical Christian. 'I don't want to recommend a book that promotes a worldview that so strongly disagrees with my own beliefs,' he wrote. At first, Morris said he was worried the book might offend Christians and atheists alike. Some evangelicals might feel the book mocks their faith, while atheists might think the book overlooks the shortcomings of religious groups. Both those criticisms would be fair, he said. Religious groups get a lot of things wrong, and yet churches and other faith groups remain important to their members. Morris said he tried to walk a fine line of gently poking fun at faith while showing why it still has an impact on people's lives, and how the friendships made in youth groups may long endure. 'I didn't want the humor to be like, church is stupid, or say, 'look at this dumb church stuff,'' he said. 'I wanted it to be funny and familiar.' Morris said he wanted to capture the mixed feelings people have about the faiths in which they grew up. While he appreciated Bible teachings like caring for the needy, some of the politics and social messages, especially about LGBTQ+ folks, were a turnoff, he said. Religion, he said, is complicated. 'There are a lot of wonderful memories, and there's a lot of stuff that gives me the ick,' he said. 'I hope that's in the book. I hope you can see how a religious upbringing can be upsetting and wonderful — comforting but also makes you mad.'

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store