Rose West's cold response to her husband's suicide revealed
Vanessa Frake-Harris, a former prisoner governor, broke the news to West while she awaited trial in 1995 for her role in the rape, torture and murder of at least 12 women and girls.
Ms Frake-Harris said West 'held a glazed stare' upon hearing the news, but may have had a 'glint in her eye' because she believed her husband's suicide would give her the opportunity to pin their crimes entirely on him.
She told The Sun: 'I told her, along with the duty governor, that Fred had committed suicide and there was no emotion. She blinked a couple of times and then said, 'Oh right'.
'She didn't even flinch – nothing had altered in her expression.'
Her level of control was staggering, Ms Frake-Harris added.
She continued: 'I firmly believe she felt that with Fred dying, she would get off all of the charges.
'There was almost a glint in her eye as if to say, 'OK, he's dead – he can take the rap for it. I'm happy to plead to the lesser charges'.'
But West was handed life sentences at Winchester Crown Court in November 1995 for each of her 10 known victims, which included her daughter Heather, 16, and her eight-year-old step daughter, Charmaine.
Fred was charged with all 12 murders but had hanged himself on Jan 1 that year in his cell while on remand at the age of 53.
A three-part Netflix series, titled Fred and Rose West: A British Horror Story, will now re-examine the case, which horrified the British public and turned a street in Gloucester into a 'media circus'.
The remains of nine of Rose West's victims – Lynda Gough, 19, Carole Ann Cooper, 15, Lucy Partington, 21, Therese Sigenthaler, 21, Shirley Hubbard, 15, Juanita Mott, 18, Shirley Ann Robinson, 18, and Alison Chambers, 17 – were found buried at the couple's home at 25 Cromwell Street, Gloucester in 1994.
Charmaine's body was found the same year at their previous home on Midland Road, Gloucester. West murdered the child while Fred was in prison for the theft of car tyres and a vehicle tax disc in 1971.
West, now aged 71, will die in prison after Jack Straw, the former home secretary, imposed a whole life tariff on the serial killer in 1997.
It was only the second time the tariff had been used on a female prisoner after serial killer Myra Hindley in 1990, who West would later go on to have a romantic relationship with while at Durham Prison.
Ms Frake-Harris, who spent three months with West, described her behaviour as charming but always with the underlying threat of manipulation, lack of empathy and no remorse.
West was compliant, charming and did not cause problems for staff during her time at Holloway Prison in north London, according to Ms Frake-Harris, who has written a book about her experience called The Governor: My Life Inside Britain's Most Notorious Prisons.
West has been at HMP New Hall since 2019, where her pattern of non-disruptive but manipulative behaviour has continued.
According to reports from prison guards, West is overweight and struggles with stairs. Her eyesight is also failing.
The serial killer, who has never shown remorse at any point during her incarceration, reportedly enjoys going to the prison's chapel.
But Ms Frake-Harris has no doubt that she will revel in the notoriety of a Netflix series, adding that some women 'just love to kill'.
'Gone are the days when we thought women were mad and not bad,' she said. 'There are bad women just as there are bad men.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
25 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
BBC tennis pundit was stalked by obsessed man who had previously targeted her sister
A BBC tennis pundit has revealed the terrifying ordeal she endured at the hands of a crazed stalker who targeted her for almost a year after first pursuing her sister. The former British tennis pro, Naomi Broady, whose brother is tennis star Liam Broady, was subjected to a relentless barrage of Facebook messages between January and December 2023, in what prosecutors described as a deeply disturbing harassment campaign. David Richardson, 39, from Stockport, appeared before Manchester magistrates' court last month where he admitted stalking Naomi's sister, Emma, 37, for three years and harassing Naomi over a 12-month period. Court documents reveal how Richardson sent 'multiple unwanted images and messages' via Facebook, as well as gifts, cards, and paintings. The campaign, it said, caused Naomi 'serious harm and distress'. Naomi, 35, who was part of the BBC's Wimbledon coverage last month and works as a commentator for BBC Radio 5 Live, is the latest in a growing list of female sports stars targeted by obsessive fans. When confronted at his home by The Mirror, Richardson admitted the offences. He claimed he had first tried to strike up a relationship with Naomi's sister Emma before asking her out. Naomi, 35, who was part of the BBC's Wimbledon coverage last month and works as a commentator for BBC Radio 5 Live Richardson had gone to school with Emma, but after she rebuffed him, he began targeting Naomi. He told reporters: 'I wanted to try to win her over. I wanted to ask her out... I was a bit out of practice with the girls... I've not been in a relationship'. The stalker confessed he had bought her a Selfridges voucher and some flowers for her birthday, but didn't ask her out. Then when Valentines Day and Christmas Day came around he sent her the same gifts. He claimed she thanked him and said it 'really cheered her up'. Richardson has now been banned from contacting either woman or approaching their homes ahead of sentencing at Manchester Crown Court on August 18. A source close to the sisters said: 'It was terrifying. They were pleased the police took it seriously. Action has now been taken'. Court documents on Richardson state he: 'Between 13/9/2020 and 4/12/2023 at Stockport pursued a course of conduct, by sending multiple unwanted images and messages via Facebook and sending unwanted gifts, cards and paintings, which amounted to stalking causing Emma Broady serious alarm or distress, which had a substantial adverse effect on her usual day-to-day activities when you knew or ought to have known that your course of conduct would cause alarm or distress.' They add: 'Between 18/1/2023 and 4/12/2023 at Stockport, pursued a course of conduct which amounted to the harassment of Naomi Broady, and which you knew or ought to have known amounted to the harassment of her in that you sent various unwanted messages on Facebook.' The ordeal mirrors the experiences of other high-profile tennis stars, including British Katie Boulter and US Open champion Emma Raducanu, who have both spoken of being stalked and threatened in recent years. Boulter revealed she had been followed in a car and sent menacing social media messages, while Raducanu was left in tears after a man trailed her to four tournaments, prompting a restraining order. Naomi, a former Wimbledon quarter-finalist in mixed doubles and a mother to twin boys born last December, began working as a BBC commentator in 2021. She had a celebrated career on court, reaching the second round at both Wimbledon and the US Open, and winning her first senior title in France in 2009.
The Sun
28 minutes ago
- The Sun
UK hotspots for rogue traders revealed – how bad is your area?
THE worst hotspots for rogue tradespeople have been revealed, as thousands of households have been left with shoddy work done. A total of 9,703 reports of suspected rogue trader work were recorded last year, consumer charity Electrical Safety First found. 4 4 4 The highest number of reports was for roofing work, with more than 2,000 people filing complaints. Reports were also linked to: General building works (1,018) Plumbing work (881) Electrical work (655) Carpentry work (633) Other types of jobs reported included work on driveways, bathrooms and windows. The data, gathered through a Freedom of Information request, also revealed Greater London as the worst hotspot in the country. It had 2,462 reports of suspected rogue tradespeople last year. Yorkshire and Humber followed closely behind with 2,341 reports. East Anglia and the East Midlands were next with 934 and 793 reports respectively. The West Midlands had the lowest number of reports at just 108. The areas with the most suspected rogue trader reports Greater London - 2,462 Yorkshire and Humber - 2,431 East Anglia - 934 East Midlands - 793 North West - 722 Northern Ireland - 695 Scotland - 438 North East - 364 Wales - 287 South West - 271 South East - 198 West Midlands - 108 Households are being warned rogue traders can leave them at serious risk. Richard Harvey, electrical installation safety expert for Electrical Safety First, said: "With so many reports of suspected rogue trade activity, there's a real chance of dangerous work being carried out in homes that leaves victims picking up the pieces, or worse, at serious risk of harm. "People are still feeling the squeeze from the cost-of-living crisis, and rogue traders will exploit this, perhaps offering to do the work in an unrealistic time frame or at a cheaper price." HMRC Spying on Social Media, M&S Giving Away Free Cakes, & Unemployment at Four-Year-High – Money News Today He warned electrical work can be the most dangerous as shoddy electrics leave you at risk of fire, burns and electrocution. Plus, having poor work done can leave you thousands of pounds out of pocket as it can cause further issues and you'll need to get it fixed. Last year, a rogue trader from Cornwall was sentenced after he left customers £90,000 out of pocket. In one case, he removed load-bearing walls without adequate support for the roof and left electrics in a dangerous state. Another rogue trader from Swindon was sentenced after it was found he carried out dangerous electrical work which was not compliant with building regulations. He'd also issued houseowners with an electrical installation certificate for the electrical work claiming it had been signed off by an electrician who had not visited the property. Red flags to watch out for You can avoid getting caught out by a rogue trader by looking out for these signs… They're available immediately Builders and tradespeople are in demand, so be wary of anyone who can start work straight away. Of course, there might be legitimate reason for this - perhaps they had another job fall through - but it's worth asking some questions. Read the reviews on websites like Checkatrade or on Google Reviews and make sure the person is vetted and qualified to carry out the work. They're VERY cheap If one tradesperson comes in with a quote that's significantly cheaper than all the others, you should be wary. This might be because the work is done in a rush and corners will be cut. Remember, cheap work can't always be rectified and you may pay out more in the long-term to repair the damage. When getting any work done, get a few quotes to give you an idea of the sort of price you can expect to pay. Online cost guides can also help to provide an overview of the amount that various types of work might typically cost. They're asking you to pay upfront A tradesperson should never ask you to pay the full amount upfront. You'll usually pay in instalments, keeping the final chunk of money until the work has been completed and you have confirmed that you are satisfied. You should get a detailed written quote that includes T&Cs and states exactly what is and isn't covered, as well as a receipt for every payment you make. Pay using a secure method rather than handing over cash. They've knocked on the front door While it's not unusual to get a leaflet through the door advertising work, you should never feel pressured into committing to any works by someone who has turned up uninvited on your doorstep. Experts say a reputable tradesperson would never canvas work by knocking on doors - they'll be so in demand they don't need to. Instead, a better way to find a decent tradesperson is through recommendations from friends, family and colleagues.
Telegraph
28 minutes ago
- Telegraph
Yves Bissouma dropped by Thomas Frank for disciplinary reasons in first test of Spurs manager
Yves Bissouma has been dropped from Tottenham Hotspur's squad for the Uefa Super Cup because of disciplinary reasons. The midfielder has remained in London and not travelled as part of the 22-strong squad that will face Paris St-Germain in the prestigious curtain raiser between the Champions League and Europa League winners. The issue is the first big test for Tottenham's new head coach Thomas Frank who revealed he has punished the 28-year-old because he has been persistently late. 'He has been late several times and now this time, it was one too many,' Frank said. 'With everything, you need to give your players a lot of love but also have demands and have consequences. And this was the consequence of that.' Asked what will now happen – and Frank has to weigh up whether to fine Bissouma up to two weeks wages – Frank said: 'For me, there's been a consequence for this trip and I will follow up when I go home on that. I have parked it for now because there is an important game tomorrow.' Spurs will fly back to London on Thursday to prepare for their opening Premier League fixture against Burnley at home on Saturday. Frank will have to decide whether to include Bissouma for that fixture. Spurs have been training at their base in Enfield for the past two days before flying to Italy. It is not the first time that the Mali international, who was signed from Brighton and Hove Albion for £30m in 2022, has been in disciplinary trouble. He faced suspension last season after footage appeared to show him inhaling laughing gas last August. He again missed the opening league game of the season, against Leicester City. Bissouma apologised for 'a severe of judgement'. Possession of nitrous oxide – also known as NOS – for recreational use has been a criminal offence in the United Kingdom since 2023 and can result in a two-year prison sentence. At the time the then Spurs head coach Ange Postecolgou said he hoped the incident and punishment 'allows him [Bissouma] to make better decisions moving forward'.
