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Irish Daily Mirror
3 days ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
'I'm pregnant - and my brother did it' Girl's horror confession about Fred West
Kitty West was merely 13 when she confided to her friends that she was expecting. However, it wasn't her boyfriend's child. It was Fred's. Her brother Fred's. This was the same Fred West who would later become one half of the most infamous serial killer duo in recent memory - a monster who sexually assaulted, murdered and mutilated young women for his own perverse pleasure, then dismembered their corpses. But long before he and Rose West gained notoriety for their House of Horrors at 25 Cromwell Street, Fred was already embarking on a very dark journey. Author, television producer and former Mirror journalist Howard Sounes was the first to report on the West murders for the Mirror in 1994 and subsequently became a leading authority on the case. He recently conducted numerous interviews and accessed over 100 hours of West's police interrogation recordings for his new book, The Fred West Tapes: Secrets of the Fred and Rose West Murder Investigation. Here, in Day Two of our exclusive serialisation, he unveils the forbidden family secrets that contributed to the creation of the beast. As a teenager, Fred West was regarded as one of the 'handsomest' lads around. He was seen as prime husband material in a rural area where many girls aimed to marry young for fear of being 'left on the shelf'. However, even from his earliest years, there was a darkness within him. One of his darkest childhood secrets was the tragic tale of his sister Kitty, who was six years his junior. Their parents Walter and Daisy West were impoverished, barely literate agricultural labourers who lived according to the seasons and could seem almost as simple as the livestock they cared for. They resided in the Herefordshire village of Much Marcle, merely thirty minutes' drive from Gloucester, yet a location frozen in time with an air of isolation. There were eight offspring, two of whom perished in early childhood, leaving: Fred, John, Daisy, Doug, Kitty and Gwen. "We were a very happy family ... Very close," Fred informed police during the murder inquiry in 1994, as disclosed in the fresh transcripts. "We all protected each other." Few who knew them - such as Kitty's school companion Jean Korbi - would concur with that assertion. In truth, Fred's mother wore a heavy leather strap which she employed to thrash her children, a practice Rose West subsequently embraced. His harsh mum also forbade romantic relationships until he reached 21, though his father provided contrasting guidance: "Whatever you enjoy, do. And make sure you don't get caught doing it, you know?" Fred's daughter Mae subsequently alleged: "He [Dad] said it was a father's right to break his daughters in. According to him, that is what his father had done." Fred West, aged 18, with sisters, Daisy, Gwen, Kitty and Doug. A year later, in 1961, Kitty told friends he was the father of her unborn baby. Kitty's schoolfriend Jean Korbi Speaking publicly for the first time regarding her companion Kitty, Jean discloses the day she discovered a horrific truth. "I'm pregnant," Kitty, then 13, declared to a circle of friends. They were unaware that Kitty had a romantic partner. "Oh, it's not a boyfriend, me brother did it. Fred." Fred, who was 19 at the time, was seen as quite a catch. "He was one of the handsomest," Jean reminisces. "He had a lovely smile, a nice wide smile, it lifted up his face. I had a schoolgirl crush on him." However, she was shocked to discover that this 'nice' lad had impregnated his younger sister. Jean had always thought the Wests were a bit peculiar, but this revelation was startling. "I mean she [Kitty] was a bit Dolly Dimple," Jean comments. "The whole family seemed a bit odd [but] I'd never heard of anything like incest, and then she proceeded to tell us how it was done, where it was done." Kitty confessed that she and Fred had been intimate in her bedroom, and it happened "lots of times". She admitted to being nervous initially. "'But Fred said because I'm his sister I wouldn't get pregnant'", Jean recalls Kitty saying. Her friends suggested that Kitty should have rebuffed Fred." She said, 'I wouldn't do that ... I quite like it', Jean adds. "She seemed quite nonchalant about it, 'It's normal, haven't you done it?' sort of thing." Jean has never forgotten that conversation, adding: "I remember it to this day, even where we were when she said it, because we were all in shock."" TV Producer Howard Sounes cover the case for the Mirror in 1994 and is Senior Producer of Netflix's Fred & Rose: A British Horror Story. His new book, serialised in the Mirror, features a never-before-seen photo of Fred West in prison on the cover. Howard Sounes covered the story for the Mirror in 1994 before becoming an author and TV producer (Image: Glynn Griffiths) The tale reached local constabulary, and in June 1961 a detective questioned Kitty and West. "Well, doesn't everyone do it?" West enquired of the officer. By the time West appeared before a magistrate, charged with incest, he entered a not guilty plea, Kitty declined to give evidence and West was acquitted. The consequences were devastating. Kitty was thrown out of school and underwent a termination. She never recovered and passed away in 2006, tormented by her history. Moreover, Fred discovered that he could perpetrate a sexual crime and escape punishment, even when police became aware. Soon afterwards, he started courting a 14 year old, who cannot be identified for legal reasons. Despite impregnating his own sibling, he remained well-regarded. "[Fred] was still liked," recalls Jean. "All the teenage girls, his age group, they were all drooling ... a lot of girls were after him." The Irish Mirror's Crime Writers Michael O'Toole and Paul Healy are writing a new weekly newsletter called Crime Ireland. Click here to sign up and get it delivered to your inbox every week When his new partner reached 15, Fred stopped whilst driving her home one evening and assaulted her. "He pushed me on the bank and raped me," the girl subsequently informed police. The girl felt stunned. "[I] just didn't know what to say." Shortly following this Fred violated her again, at a flat. However, she didn't inform police until the murder inquiry in 1994. Once again Fred slipped through the net without facing any consequences. His twenties would descend into even greater darkness. He became infatuated with Scottish teenager Catherine 'Rena' Costello, who was already expecting another man's baby, wed her, relocated to Glasgow, abandoned her to work as a prostitute to help pay the bills - and secured employment driving a Mr Whippy ice cream van. Fred and Kitty's parents, Walter and Daisy West. (Image: George Phillips) Walter and Daisy West took their children to Barry Island for a holiday in the late 50s. Front row: Kitty and Gwen (in buggy); middle row, from left: Doug, Daisy, Fred and John In 1965 he was doing his rounds when he struck and killed three year old Harry Feeney. His relatives remain convinced that it wasn't an accident as officers had concluded at the time. But whether deliberate or not, at merely 24, Fred had become a murderer, a rapist, and had nearly fathered his sister's child. Two years afterwards, his 18 year old lover Anne McFall vanished whilst eight months pregnant. Her remains - along with Fred's unborn child - wouldn't be discovered for 27 years. Yet again it could have ended there - but it didn't. It subsequently came to light that Fred had confessed to his father. He revealed to Walter that he had buried Anne's remains at the woodland's edge and even led him to the location. "I couldn't go up there on me own at that time," Fred later told his solicitor. "So he walked up there with me. He said, 'Look, son, I'm your father, I'm not going to turn you in. If you can live with it then I'll say nothing.'" Walter informed his wife Daisy, who subsequently revealed to his brother John: "Freddy's killed the girl [Anne] and buried her in Kempley Woods!" However, nobody contacted the police. Had they done so, Anne McFall might have been his sole victim. Instead, Fred stayed free. And encountered Rose. Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest news from the Irish Mirror direct to your inbox: Sign up here.
Irish Independent
3 days ago
- Sport
- Irish Independent
Grandmother (99) of Donegal rising star has the ‘candles lit and the rosary beads out' on eve of All-Ireland final
The proud grandmother of rising star Finnbarr Roarty (19) is brimming with pride ahead of the All-Ireland final showdown with Kerry in Croke Park. Kitty will watch the match from her family home in Glenties, which has been decorated in the county colours — and she will have the candles lit and rosary beads in her hand. Kitty, who will be 100 on Christmas Eve, has been a lifelong GAA fan, but having her grandson on the team has been 'magical'. 'She is on a high this week, and it's as good as any tonic,' her daughter, Margaret Kennedy, said. 'She is just so proud of Finnbarr and the whole team. 'It's great she has seen Finnbarr on the team and it is just magical that she has lived to this age. She has the whole living room decorated with flags and bunting, and she is so excited for the match.' Kitty and her late husband were always avid Donegal GAA fans, and in their younger days, they would travel throughout the county, and as far as Clones in Co Monaghan, to watch the team play. Her love for Donegal football increased in the 1990s when her neighbour Jim McGuinness — now Donegal manager — became involved in the side. 'The Roartys knew the McGuinnesses very well over the years, and it added to the excitement to have a neighbour involved in the team,' Margaret said. 'She followed the 1992 and 2012 sides, but nothing compares to having Finnbarr on the team. It is such an achievement to reach the final, and they have brought such a massive boost to everyone — it's just magical. 'With my mammy turning 100 on Christmas Eve, this could be a particularly special year for her and for us all as a family.'
Daily Mirror
3 days ago
- Daily Mirror
'Girl, 13, said her brother made her pregnant - and thought it was normal'
Fred West was 19 when he got his own 13-year-old sister Kitty pregnant. Today schoolfriend Jean Korbi shares the most shocking part of the scandal: what they both said next KITTY West was just 13 when she confided in friends that she was pregnant. But it was not her boyfriend's. It was Fred's. Her brother Fred's. It was the same Fred West who would go on to become one half of the most notorious serial killer couple in recent history - a fiend who raped, killed and butchered young women for his own sexual kicks, then dismembered their bodies. But decade s before he and Rose West became infamous for their House of Horrors at 25 Cromwell Street, Fred was already heading down a very dark path...... Author, TV producer and former Mirror journalist Howard Sounes was first to cover the West murders for the Mirror in 1994 and went on to become a leading expert in the case. He recently conducted dozens of interviews and gained access to more than 100 hours of West's police interrogation recordings, for his new book, The Fred West Tapes: Secrets of the Fred & Rose West Murder Investigation. Here, in Day Two of our exclusive serialisation, he exposes the taboo family secrets that led to the making of the monster….. Adapted from The Fred West Tapes by Howard Sounes As a teenager Fred West was considered to be one of the 'handsomest' lads around. He was eyed as prime marriage material in a rural area where many girls aspired to marry young lest they be 'left on the shelf'. And yet, even from his earliest years there was a darkness within him. Foremost among his dark childhood secrets was the sad story of his sister Kitty, six years his junior. Their parents Walter and Daisy West were poor, semi-literate farm workers who lived by the seasons and could appear almost as ignorant as the beasts they tended. They lived in Herefordshire's village of Much Marcle, just half an hour by car from Gloucester, but a place lost in time with a sense of remoteness. There were eight children, two of whom died in infancy, leaving: Fred, John, Daisy, Doug, Kitty and Gwen. 'We were a very happy family ... Very close,' Fred told the police during the murder investigation in 1994, as revealed in the new transcripts. 'We all protected each other.' Few that knew them - like Kitty's schoolfriend Jean Korbi - would agree with that statement. In reality, Fred's mother wore a thick leather belt which she used to beat her children, a habit Rose West later adopted. His strict mum also banned girlfriends until he was 21, but his father offered different advice: 'Whatever you enjoy, do. And make sure you don't get caught doing it, you know?' Fred's daughter Mae later claimed: 'He [Dad] said it was a father's right to break his daughters in. According to him, that is what his father had done.' Speaking for the first time about her friend Kitty, Jean reveals the day she learned an awful secret. 'I'm pregnant,' Kitty, then 13, announced to a group of friends. They didn't know that Kitty had a boyfriend. 'Oh, it's not a boyfriend, me brother did it. Fred.' Fred, then 19, was eyed as quite the catch. 'He was one of the handsomest,' recalls Jean. 'He had a lovely smile, a nice wide smile, it lifted up his face. I had a schoolgirl crush on him..' But then she learned that same boy – that 'nice' boy – had made his younger sister pregnant. Jean thought the Wests a bit backward, but this was still a shock. 'I mean she [Kitty] was a bit Dolly Dimple,' says Jean. 'The whole family seemed a bit odd [but] I'd never heard of anything like incest, and then she proceeded to tell us how it was done, where it was done.' Kitty told them that she and Fred had sex in her bedroom, they did it 'lots of times'. She felt nervous at first. ''But Fred said because I'm his sister I wouldn't get pregnant'', Jean recalls her saying. Her friends suggested Kitty should have slapped Fred. 'She said, 'I wouldn't do that ... I quite like it', adds Jean. 'She seemed quite cool about it, 'It's normal, haven't you done it?' sort of thing.' Jean has never forgotten the conversation, adding: 'I remember it to this day, even where we were when she said it, because we were all in shock.' The story reached the local police, and in June 1961 a detective interviewed Kitty and West. 'Well, doesn't everyone do it?' West asked the officer. By the time West was brought before a judge, charged with incest, he pleaded not guilty, Kitty refused to testify and West walked free. The repercussions were significant. Kitty was expelled from school and had an abortion. She never got over it and died in 2006, haunted by her past. Also, Fred learned that he could commit a sexual offence and get away with it, even if the police became involved. Shortly after, he began dating a 14-year-old, who can't be named for legal reasons. Despite getting his own sister pregnant, he was still popular. '[ Fred ] was still liked,' says Jean. 'All the teenage girls, his age group, they were all drooling ... a lot of girls were after him.' When the new girlfriend turned 15, Fred pulled over while driving her home one day and attacked her. 'He pushed me on the bank and raped me,' the girl later told police. The girl felt numb. '[I] just didn't know what to say.' Not long after this Fred raped her for a second time, at a flat. But she didn't report the matter to the police until the murder investigation in 1994. Once more Fred escaped without repercussions. His 20s would only get darker still. He fell for Scottish teen Catherine 'Rena' Costello, already pregnant with another man's child, married her, went to Glasgow, left her to prostitute herself to help make ends meet - and got himself work driving a Mr Whippy ice cream van. In 1965 he was on his round when he ran over and killed three-year-old Harry Feeney. His family are still adamant that it was not an accident as police had believed at the time. But whether intentional or not, at just 24, Fred was now a killer, a rapist, and had almost fathered his sister's child. Two years later, his 18-year-old mistress Anne McFall, went missing while eight months pregnant. Her body - and the body of Fred's unborn baby - would not be found for 27 years. Once again it could have stopped there - but it didn't. It later emerged Fred confessed to his father. He told Walter he had buried Anne's body on the edge of the woods and even took him to the site. 'I couldn't go up there on me own at that time,' Fred later told his solicitor. "So he walked up there with me. He said, 'Look, son, I'm your father, I'm not going to turn you in. If you can live with it then I'll say nothing.'' Walter told his wife Daisy who then told his brother John: 'Freddy's killed the girl [Anne] and buried her in Kempley Woods!' No one however told the police. If they had, Anne McFall may have been his only victim. Instead, Fred remained at large. And then….he met Rose. Howard Sounes helped break the West story and coin the term 'House of Horrors' for the Mirror in 1994, becoming an expert on the story. He was also Senior Producer on the recent Netflix series, Fred & Rose West.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Princess Diana's Niece Lady Kitty Spencer Adorably Twins with Daughter, 2, in Italian Vacation Photos
Lady Kitty sported Athena's favorite color in coordinating Dolce & Gabbana dresses Lady Kitty Spencer had a matching moment with her 2-year-old daughter, Athena, on a family vacation. Although Princess Diana's niece usually keeps her young child out of the public eye, she shared rare photos of Athena — always concealing her face from the camera — in a July 24 Instagram post sharing highlights from their visit to Italy. "Under the Tuscan sun," Lady Kitty, 34, captioned the post, containing numerous photos from the getaway. The first set of snaps showed the mom and daughter twinning in purple and white dresses by Dolce & Gabbana, for which Kitty serves as a global brand ambassador. Lady Kitty's Majolica Print Poplin Dress, which retails for $1,995, perfectly paired with the mini version of the ensemble, available for $845, worn by Athena. They wore the coordinating outfits as they checked out the Leaning Tower of Pisa, took a ride on a carousel and checked out a car that matched their ensembles! "Purple is Athena's favourite colour at the moment, so the Fiat 500 was a hit!" Lady Kitty wrote. Can't get enough of PEOPLE's Royals coverage? to get the latest updates on Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle and more! Other photos showed the mother and daughter wearing different styles — Lady Kitty in a strapless floral print dress while Athena wore a red dress with a white hat — as they took in some scenic outdoor settings. Lady Kitty — the eldest daughter of Princess Diana's brother, Charles Spencer, 9th Earl Spencer — was born in the U.K. and grew up in South Africa, but she has a special connection to Italy. She wed fashion mogul Michael Lewis in Frascati, Italy, in 2021. Kitty announced that she was a mom in March 2024 on U.K. Mother's Day, sharing a photo with Athena on Instagram. She wrote, "It's the joy of my life to be your mummy, little one. I love you unconditionally." In a social media post celebrating Athena's second birthday in April, Lady Kitty wrote, "Two years of you lighting up our world, my darling Athena. You are sunshine and joy and all things magic. My little girl forever. How proud I am to be your mummy. I love you more than you could ever imagine or I could ever articulate." In an interview with Tatler from earlier this year, Lady Kitty described her daughter as a "little Taurus" who is "very outdoorsy and like a little spinning top." Lady Kitty added that Athena is "very similar" to her twin sisters, Lady Amelia and Lady Eliza. "It's so funny…so cool for her when she has these two aunts that come bursting through the door," Kitty said. "I don't think she thinks there's an age gap." Read the original article on People
The Province
21-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Province
XO, Kitty star Anna Cathcart stars in new Audible series Middlebridge Mysteries
UBC student and XO, Kitty actor spins off popular Mistletoe Murders character into new Audible series Anna Cathcart, the star of the Netflix series XO, Kitty, is the star of the new Mistletoe Murders spin-off Audible series Middlebridge Mysteries which drops July 24. Photo by Courtesy of Anna Cathcart / Courtesy of Anna Cathcart Reviews and recommendations are unbiased and products are independently selected. Postmedia may earn an affiliate commission from purchases made through links on this page. XO, Kitty star Vancouver's Anna Cathcart adds another Audible series to her resume. The UBC student stars in the Middlebridge Mysteries a new cosy crime audible series. A spinoff from Audible's Mistletoe Murders, which was made into a Hallmark series, Middlebridge Mysteries also stars Vancouver actor Eric McCormack, he of Will & Grace fame. The series will be released on July 24. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors The new series sees Cathcart (To All the Boys I've Loved Before) reprising her Mistletoe Murders role of Violet Wilner. In the new series Violet is at college studying criminology at her dream school, Middlebridge University. Between juggling coursework, roommate chaos, a slow-burn romance, a social life and her own insecurities, Violet has her hands full. But as anyone who has a spent any time with the folks of Fletcher's Grove knows Violet is never too busy for a good old-fashioned mystery. The series comes from Canadian Screen Award winner Ken Cuperus and features McCormack as the renowned and demanding criminology teacher professor Bellows. Also in the cast are Charles Van der Vaart (Outlander) and Mason Temple (Ginny & Georgia). Read More Vancouver Canucks Local News Local News GlobeNewswire Tennis
