Latest news with #StephenWest
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- General
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Glamour model who had baby girl with the son of serial killers Fred and Rose West is former Premier League WAG
This is the former glamour model who recently had a baby girl with the son of serial killers Fred and Rose West. Emma Bradley ignored concerns from her family to settle down with Stephen West and the pair, who are also engaged, most recently welcomed a baby girl named Eden. But she will never see her grandmother Rose, 71 after Emma revealed that Stephen had cut off all ties with his evil mother who is serving a life sentence in prison for the rape, torture and murder of 10 women and girls. His depraved father Fred killed himself in 1995 while awaiting trial for 12 murders. In social media pictures, Emma and Stephen, 51, can be seen cuddling and kissing while in one she lovingly strokes his face as they announce their engagement in 2020. Other pictures show the couple enjoying a break in Paris and at family gatherings, underlining the deep bond they share. The happiness captured in the images represents a far cry from Stephen's upbringing in the 'House of Horrors' at 25 Cromwell Street where his parents, among Britain's worst serial killers, committed multiple murders and subjected him and his siblings to sickening sexual and physical violence. Rose and Fred West (pictured) collaborated on their heinous crimes but Fred escaped justice when he died by suicide while awaiting trial while Rose was sentence to life imprisonment Former topless model Emma featured in magazines like Nuts and Zoo in her early 20s and reportedly once dated ex-Arsenal striker Paul Merson and singer Dane Bowers before settling down. She also worked at Maxxis Babes, which provides models for car and bike shows around the UK. Emma has since switched careers and after graduating from the University of West England in 2007 with a degree in nursing, now works at Gloucester Royal Hospital and at a leading cosmetics clinic as a surgeon's assistant. She and Stephen live in a modest three-bedroom semi-detached home in Gloucester just five miles from the 'House of Horrors,' with four girls aged one to 17. Two of them are from a previous relationship Emma had. The couple are due to tie the knot in August at the Celtic Manor Hotel in Newport. But their relationship has caused a huge rift within Emma's family because of Stephen's conviction in 2004 for seven counts of underage sex with a 14-year-old girl. He chillingly admitted at the time: 'There's a bit of dad in me.' The happiness captured in the images of the couple represents a far cry from Stephen's upbringing in the 'House of Horrors' at 25 Cromwell Street where his parents, among Britain's worst serial killers, committed multiple murders and subjected him and his siblings to sickening sexual and physical violence After reports of Rose being in ill health in HMP New Hall, West Yorkshire, Emma told The Sun that neither she or Stephen were aware as they have cut ties with the serial killer. She said: 'Stephen doesn't want to say anything because his main priority is the little ones. He is adamant, at this time of his life he's got a young family to protect.' She said her older children 'don't know about the family history,' and added: 'They are old enough to be aware but too young to understand.' One inside source claimed that Emma's family were 'uncomfortable' with her relationship to Stephen due to his family and 'where he comes from'. They also claimed that Stephen, a former builder, is currently unemployed and drives a Motability Scheme car due to one of his daughter's being disabled. The source said: 'None of us support it. He makes us uncomfortable. It's created a rift in the family.' Stephen has been married twice before his engagement to Emma and has eight children in total. He is also a grandfather. He grew up in the 'House of Horrors' and once revealed in an interview that 'it was important' to cut ties with Rose following her conviction. Rose had blamed Stephen for her and Fred's horrific campaign of rape, torture and murder - which included their killing of his older sister Heather - and said it was his fault that she had ended up behind bars. Stephen added: 'She rang me in 1999 with hate, blaming me for everything. She said I should have died when I was born and that I was a disgrace to the family. 'You don't need enemies when you've got family like that.' At 14 years old, his father Fred told him to dig a hole in his garden that would be used for a fishpond. But it was to be used for his 16-year-old sister's grave. The couple would often tell their other children they would 'end up under the patio like Heather' if they did not behave. Of Fred and Rose's 10 children, only seven are still alive today. Four of them are believed to have moved to other parts of the UK to begin new lives, away from the 'House of Horrors' - but three, including Stephen, have remained in Gloucester and live around ten minutes away from each other.
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Health
- Daily Mail
Former glamour model who dated host of stars before settling down with Rose West's son reveals what it's like to be the serial killer's 'daughter in law'
A former glamour model has revealed what her life is like after having another child with Fred and Rose West 's son. Emma Bradley ignored concerns from her family to settle down with Stephen West, 51, and the pair most recently welcomed a baby girl named Eden. The former topless model is said to be so besotted with her fiancee Stephen that she is planning to marry him this August at the Celtic Manor hotel in Newport. Emma's family are believed to have raised the alarm over the fact that Stephen, who once said 'there's a bit of my dad in me', had spent jailtime for seven counts of underage sex with a 14-year-old girl. But Emma moved in with Stephen to a home in Abbeymead, Gloucester, just five miles away from the 'House of Horrors' at 25 Cromwell Street where his parents committed mass murder. She has also switched careers after modelling for magazines like Nuts and Zoo in her early 20s for her current job as a nurse at Gloucester Royal Hospital. After reports of Rose being in ill health in HMP New Hall, West Yorkshire, Emma told The Sun that neither she or Stephen were aware as they have cut ties with the serial killer. She said: 'Stephen doesn't want to say anything because his main priority is the little ones. He is adamant, at this time of his life he's got a young family to protect.' Emma's family are said to have raised the alarm over the fact Stephen (above) had spent jailtime for seven counts of underage sex with a 14-year-old girl Emma shares four girls with Stephen - the eldest being 17 years old - and says they 'don't know about the family history'. She believes they are 'old enough to be aware but too young to understand'. One inside source told the newspaper that Emma's family were 'uncomfortable' with her relationship to Stephen due to his family and 'where he comes from'. They also say that Stephen, a former builder, is currently unemployed and drives a Motability Scheme car due to one of his daughter's being disabled. Another source said Emma is only with Stephen because she 'wanted attention' and added that 'she has always been like that'. The former model reportedly dated ex-Arsenal striker Paul Merson and singer Dane Bowers before settling down. Fred West (above, left) died by suicide in 1995 while awaiting trial while Rose West (above, right) is in HMP New Hall, West Yorkshire, where she is spending a life sentence Stephen was jailed for nine months in December 2004 after having an eight month affair with the 14-year-old girl, during which time he arranged for her to have an abortion. He claimed his harrowing childhood led to psychological trauma which had been a factor in the relationship. The now-51-year-old has been married twice before his engagement to Emma and has eight children in total. He is also a grandfather. He grew up in the 'House of Horrors' and cut all ties with his mother and 1999, saying 20 years later it was 'important that I did that'. Rose had blamed Stephen for her and Fred's the horrific campaign of rape, torture and murder - which included their killing of his older sister Heather - and said it was his fault that she had ended up behind bars. Stephen added: 'She rang me in 1999 with hate, blaming me for everything. She said I should have died when I was born and that I was a disgrace to the family. 'You don't need enemies when you've got family like that.' At 14 years old, his father Fred told him to dig a hole in his garden that would be used for a fish pond. But it was to be used for his 16-year-old sister's grave. The couple would often tell their other children they would 'end up under the patio like Heather' if they did not behave. Of Fred and Rose's 10 children, only seven are still alive today. Four of them are believed to have moved to other parts of the UK to begin new lives, away from the 'House of Horrors' - but three, including Stephen, have remained in Gloucester and live around ten minutes away from each other.
The Sun
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Rose West has granddaughter after paedo son has baby with ex-topless model who opens up on having murderer in family
ROSE West has become a grandmother again - with her son's baby to an ex-glamour model. Stephen West, who grew up in Fred and Rose's house of horrors, has had a daughter with fiancee Emma Bradley. 4 4 Former topless model Emma lives with Stephen, 51, in a home just five miles away from the scene of his parents mass murder at 25 Cromwell St in Gloucester. But Rose West, 71, will never see the baby girl Eden after Stephen cut off all ties with his evil mum. The pair got together despite concerns from family members that Stephen was jailed in 2004 for seven counts of underage sex with a 14-year-old girl. He chillingly admitted: 'There's a bit of my dad in me.' Sources said the pair are planning to tie the knot in August at the posh Celtic Manor hotel in Newport. But one family insider told The Sun: 'None of us support it. "He makes us uncomfortable. 'It's created a rift in the family. "They've got concerns about Stephen's family and where he comes from.' Qualified nurse Emma, who works at Gloucester Royal Hospital, has two daughters from a previous relationship. It is understood she once dated Arsenal legend Paul Merson and singer Dane Bowers. Emma told The Sun the pair had watched the new Netflix documentary ' Fred and Rose West: A British Horror Story '. But the brunette, who modelled for magazines including Nuts and Zoo in her early 20s, added that they were unaware Rose was in ill health. The Sun reported this week how West, who killed 10 young women, was barely able to walk and spent her days in her cell watching nature documentaries. Emma said they 'weren't aware' Rose was in ill health as they do not have contact. She added: 'Stephen doesn't want to say anything because his main priority is the little ones. 'He is adamant, at this time of his life he's got a young family to protect.' She said her older children 'don't know about the family history,' and added: 'They are old enough to be aware but too young to understand.' The pair share a modest three bedroom semi-detached home in Abbeymead, Glos, with four girls aged one to 17. 4 Stephen, who is a grandad, has been married twice before and now has eight children. A source said the former builder is currently out of work and lives on benefits and drives a motability car he gets for one of his daughters who is disabled. A source close to the couple said: 'I think Emma wanted attention that's why she got with him. "She has always been like that." In 2004 Stephen admitted to seven charges of unlawful sex with a 14-year-old more than 20 times. He had even arranged for her to have an abortion during their eight-month affair. He kept a coded diary of their illegal encounters and showered her with presents, including jewellery and a mobile phone so she could contact him from secondary school. Stephen – who cited his severe psychological trauma as a mitigating reason for the twisted relationship – was jailed for nine months and forced to sign the sex offenders register.
The Guardian
19-03-2025
- Lifestyle
- The Guardian
Knitting is cool again. Here's everything you need to get started – and what you don't
Unless you haven't been paying attention, you'll know that knitting is having a serious moment. Thanks to knitfluencers such as Katie Jones, Stephen West, Ella Emhoff and, of course, Tom Daley, the meditative hobby is riding a new wave of popularity. A big part of its appeal is making clothes and accessories – from waistcoats to hats, kids' mittens and scarves – and knitting can also help improve focus, cognitive health and wellbeing. The Guardian's journalism is independent. We will earn a commission if you buy something through an affiliate link. Learn more. Luckily, it doesn't require a lot of kit to get started, and the essentials can be acquired for about a tenner. Here's all the stuff you need – and the bits not worth wasting your money on. It's easy to get overwhelmed when it comes to yarn: which fibre? How thick? What colour? Superwash (this means the natural fibre has been chemically treated to withstand gentle machine washing without felting or shrinking) or not? Different types of fibre feel different to work with. For instance, plant-based fibres such as cotton and linen have little elasticity and can be hard on the hands. Sheep's wool has more give, but depending on the breed and how it's spun, it has varying levels of softness. Alpaca yarn has plenty of give and is buttery soft, but can be a bit slippery to work with. When starting out, sheep's wool is your friend. Prices vary wildly. As a beginner, you don't need to splurge out. Knitwear designer Enya Ødegaard suggests affordable woollen yarn for beginners because it 'can be ripped back [undone] many times easily without damaging the yarn, whereas hairy and delicate yarns such as mohair are harder to undo, and the yarn will not be as nice afterwards'. All yarn comes with information about what needle size is recommended, so try to find a DK (double knit) weight, which requires a needle size of approximately 4mm. It's thick enough to show clear stitch definition and easy to handle. Drops Lima and Merino extra fine are affordable choices with a good colour range, as is CaMaRose Hverdagsuld. Beginners' yarns £3.35 at the Wool Factory£4.50 at Loop Knitting Most people think knitting is done with two straight needles, but the circular needle – that is, two needles joined by a cable – is more popular within the knitting community. This is because they allow you to make flat pieces of fabric and tubes, such as for hats, mittens and socks. A 4mm or 5mm circular needle with a 40cm cable will cover most beginners' needs. With that, you can make sample squares, hats, scarves and mittens. Bamboo needles are less slippery than metal, so there's less chance of dropping stitches. Metal needles are good for fast knitting as there is less friction between the yarn and the needle, but they're better suited to more experienced knitters. KnitPro Basix Birch or KnitPro Symfonie 40cm needles are good circular choices. For straight needles, KnitPro 25cm Basix Birch (from £3.40 at Yarn Loft) will cover the basics. Circular knitting needles From £3.65 at Yarn LoftFrom £7.65 at John Lewis Tapestry needles are essential for weaving in loose ends. They also come in handy for more advanced techniques such as the sewn tubular castoff, a type of castoff that's sewn rather than knitted, giving edges more stretch and a neater finish. Tapestry needle set £1.69 at Wool Warehouse£1.99 at McIntosh Other inexpensive useful tools such as stitch markers (I have a personal preference for gourd safety pins because they're cheap and removable) are helpful to keep count of your stitches and to mark different sections. A tape measure and a small pair of scissors are also handy. Hobbycraft stocks a useful knitting accessory kit that has all the tools you need and a few extra bits. Sign up to The Filter Get the best shopping advice from the Filter team straight to your inbox. The Guardian's journalism is independent. We will earn a commission if you buy something through an affiliate link. after newsletter promotion Accessory kit £6.80 at Hobbycraft Hardcore knitters may choose to invest in certain items such as yarn swifts, which allow you to unwind skeins of yarn; ball winders, which wind skeins into balls; and blocking mats and pins, which are foam mats used to dry wet pieces of knitting pinned into shape. But these aren't essential for beginners. You also don't need stitch holders (used to hold live stitches) or cable needles (used to make cables in knitting) at first. I would recommend simple but small patterns, such as tiny scarves. The Sophie scarf by PetiteKnit is a popular choice for a reason: it's a simple garter stitch scarf (this means you only use the knit stitch, no purls) with tapered ends, which is relatively speedy to make and requires less than one ball of yarn. Other designs include Scarf No 1 by My Favourite Things (above), a triangular scarf with some simple lace, and Le Bandana by Aimée Gille, a triangular bandana that can be customised with stripes of different colours. Purl Soho has a good range of free beginner-friendly patterns. It takes practice to get even tension (all the stitches of an even size) when you're starting out. Beginners often knit tightly, but as you get more confident and relax into the repetitive motion of knitting, this will improve. All knitting patterns are made with two basic stitches: the knit and the purl. Armed with these two stitches and a few simple techniques for increasing and decreasing the number of stitches, you can do a lot. Mistakes are inevitable, but luckily they are (almost) all fixable. Even experienced knitters drop stitches, knit instead of purl, or forget an increase here or a decrease there. Understanding how to read your work and fix errors is not always easy when you're new, but try to look at your knitting and identify which stitches are knits, which are purls and why they look different. Most knitting patterns will refer to gauge at some point. This refers to the density of stitches and rows, and it's important to follow if you want a pattern to fit properly, but less important for items such as scarves and blankets. Ravelry is a social platform for knitters and crocheters, with a database containing millions of patterns. You can browse other people's projects, see what yarns are good for a pattern, and join groups and communities. YouTube is an invaluable resource to get started. Very Pink Knits and Nimble Needles have many clear tutorials with good explanations. Elise Damstra is an obsessive knitter, knitwear designer and podcaster behind the Purls Before Thyme podcast. She caught the knitting bug in 2019 and loves exploring new techniques and designs. She always has a project on hand, whether she's on the bus, at the beach or at a pub quiz. Knitting gives her a sense of calm and acts as a form of meditation
