Latest news with #serialkillers
The Sun
8 hours ago
- The Sun
Inside Lucy Letby's diaries cops used to snare baby killer – & why expert thinks secret code PROVES her innocence
MANY serial killers from history have left a written record of their crimes - whether it's the diary entries of Dennis Rader and Melvin Rees, or the cryptic notes of The Zodiac Killer. Experts tend to agree that it comes from a combination of a pathological need for control, a twisted desire to relive their worst acts, and the thrill of the cat-and-mouse chase. 10 10 10 Detectives investigating British nurse Lucy Letby have pushed the idea that she fits into this category, describing a possible 'secret code' left in her diary. Letby, now 34, was last year given a whole life order in prison for the murders of seven babies and the attempted murders of seven more at Countess of Chester Hospital. During police raids on Letby's home after her arrest, officers took a specific interest in her diary, as well as other notes found in her bedroom. One such scrawling, which went on to form a key part of the case against her, said: 'I am evil, I did this.' It was emblazoned on a bright Post-It, alongside another saying: 'I killed them on purpose because I'm not good enough.' Her diary, meanwhile, found in a bedside drawer, was thought to have contained a sadistic trail of breadcrumbs. Serial killers who leave behind diaries, notes, or cryptic messages often do so as a means of exerting control, crafting a personal narrative, or seeking attention. dates of deaths or attacks she was later found guilty of. A reference to 'twins' was recorded on April 8 2016. This was the date of the attempted murders of two twin boys, Baby L and Baby M. On the same date, there were also initials 'LD' or 'LO' added, which appeared again on April 6, 7, 8 and 9, as well as on June 23 and 24, when she tried to kill twin brothers Baby O and Baby P, the trial heard. The Sun spoke to Nicole Nyamwiza, a Senior Lecturer in Criminology at The University of Law, who explained that there is often a reason for killers to put pen to paper. She says: "These writings provide a window into the complex psychological landscape of Letby, highlighting the diverse motivations and mental states that can underlie such heinous acts. "Understanding these nuances is crucial for both criminal profiling and the development of preventative strategies in clinical settings." She added: "Serial killers who leave behind diaries, notes, or cryptic messages often do so as a means of exerting control, crafting a personal narrative, or seeking attention." 'Sinster code' The chilling cache of notes, scribbles and diaries is what police say enabled them to snare the young nurse - describing the find as a "massive surprise". DI Rob Woods, who ran the search of her home when Letby was arrested for a second time, said in Cheshire Police's Operation Hummingbird documentary: 'There appeared to be, and it became clear later that it was, almost a code of coloured asterisks, and various other things that marked significant events in our investigation." 'When we went to search the address for the second occasion, that was something we knew that we were looking for because we didn't have the complete chronology. 'There were a couple of years missing, so that was a very clear item. 'We also knew that she was a copious writer of notes. We thought that perhaps having been arrested she might stop doing that. 'It turned out when we searched that second address, she had continued to write her thoughts and all sorts of processes about the investigation.' It is unclear how the asterisks fit into the theory, as the force has only publicly released a sample of pages from her diary in June 2016, and the asterisks are not included. But the diary pages were hardly mentioned in the trial itself, and neither was there any reference to suspicions of an elaborate code used anywhere. The use of initials was brought up by the prosecution, but experts believe there could be a simple explanation. Cops appear to have initially read them as 'LO', as per what was said in court, and been baffled. There appeared to be, and it became clear later that it was, almost a code of coloured asterisks, and various other things that marked significant events in our investigation. DI Rob WoodsCheshire Police But they have since been interpreted as 'LD', meaning 'Long Day' by online sleuths, as well as references in text messages between Letby and a colleague since made public. This appears to be a colloquial abbreviation used by nurses at the hospital to signify a shift lasting 13 or 14 hours, something Letby was often doing during the period of the murders for which she was convicted. Statistical misrepresentation consultant, Professor Richard Gill told The Sun the suggestion that the nurse left a trail of cryptic clues in her diary is 'just quite simply ludicrous' and a desperate attempt by police to paint her as the classic serial killer. 'It doesn't exist, it's just bluster,' he added. But Ms Nyamwiza says: "The use of coded entries in her diaries, such as the 'LO' notation corresponding to specific dates, indicates a compartmentalisation of her actions, perhaps as a coping mechanism or an attempt to maintain a semblance of normalcy amidst the chaos." Professor Gill has previously helped free multiple medical professionals wrongfully convicted of killing patients, including Dutch nurse Lucia de Berk and Italian nurse Daniela Poggiali. He is among an increasing number of supporters who believe Letby to be innocent, and has been pushing for a retrial - although many others, including the victims' families, have blasted the campaign to free her. He described the diary as coming across 'as more of a calendar than a diary', adding: 'She's not writing down thoughts every day. 10 'It's just little notes of things that had happened or were going to happen, like many people do - professionals in jobs make little notes.' He said it was odd that police brought up the 'LD' initials in the documentary, released last year, despite the uncertainty apparently having been cleared up. 'Even at the time, people knew that LD meant Long Day, it was explained,' Prof Gill continued. 'The story that there was some kind of sinister code and that it was planned is totally ludicrous, and it tells us something about the intelligence of Cheshire Constabulary. 'They wanted to convict a killer nurse, they wanted that very strongly, very early on, because they were brought into the conspiracy by the doctors. 'The doctors went to police in March or April 2017 and we know that they told them bogus lies, they told them lies about the expected number of deaths on that unit. 'They roped the police into their own fantasy, and the police went all out to prove it. They opened an investigation and found nothing, and this was one of the nothings of which they found.' 'I believe she's innocent' Text exchanges since made public between Letby and a colleague show the latter voicing some surprise that her friend was down for four LDs in a week. Prof Gill said: 'I mean, it's a lot. You're supposed to only have one LD a week. 'It's 14 hours working strictly without a break. You're not supposed to have four LDs in a week. 'But you can see how stretched that unit was, that it was necessary, and it shows us how enthusiastic Lucy was to work overtime and get experience. 'She's an enthusiastic young nurse who wants to learn as much as she can, so she wants as much experience as she can, and she wants money. 'She's saving to buy a house. The long day paid more than the short day, Christ. 'Those long days happened to coincide with the deaths of twins. So what? 'It shows that she's often there when babies die because she worked such long hours, because the unit was short-staffed.' Prof Gill went on to say: 'There's no evidence anyone saw her kill anyone, except Jayaram said he almost saw her, but he didn't see her. 'And now there's doubts about whether he was even there or not for Baby K. But nobody ever saw her doing anything whatsoever.' Prof Gill was referring to Dr Ravi Jayaram, who testified that the nurse was seen standing over Baby K's cot as the infant's condition deteriorated. Taking the stand, the doctor said Letby failed to call for help as the newborn's condition declined, insisting the nurse had virtually been caught "red-handed". But last month, a bombshell memo appeared to cast doubt on Dr Jayaram's claims. Prior to the start of the police investigation, Dr Jayaram wrote in an email to colleagues: "At time of deterioration ... Staff nurse Letby at incubator and called Dr Jayaram to inform of low saturations." This suggests Letby had informed superiors of the child's condition. Prof Gill - who vehemently believes Letby is innocent - said the only possible indication he can see from the evidence put forward in court of wrongdoing is that insulin may have been injected into some of the babies that came to harm. I believe she's completely innocent. I've said that for a long time, but for a long time I was among the very few who dared to say it. Prof Richard GillStatistical misrepresentation consultant 'Maybe someone was trying to harm two babies,' he said, however, he added that medical experts have since clarified that newborn premature babies can have completely natural Hyperglycemia. Also known as high blood sugar, hyperglycemia is a condition where the level of glucose (sugar) in the blood is abnormally high. It's a common complication of diabetes, but can also occur in non-diabetics, particularly during illness or stress. Prof Gill went on to say: 'I think the things that convinced people of Lucy's guilt were insulin, the rota, and the Post-It notes.' One such argument put forward by the prosecution suggested that because Letby was on shift when babies came to harm or died, statistically, she must have been guilty. Prof Gill believes that this can be cleared up by the short staffing and the fact that Letby was so keen to take on extra shifts. In terms of the notes, he said it's not entirely clear what the 'I killed them' scrawling actually says. 'It's not absolutely clear what the phrase is,' he explained. 'That's not the whole sentence, there's a bit above, which you can't read.' Prof Gill said he's unsure why a handwriting specialist wasn't brought in by the defence team to decipher the full sentence and potentially quash it as evidence. Other notes said 'please help me' and 'I can't do it any more', while another said: 'I want someone to help me but they can't, so what's the point in asking. Hate my life.' Letby herself claimed she wrote the notes at a time when she feared her practices may have been at fault for babies collapsing. She said she felt 'isolated' from colleagues after being taken off the neonatal unit and put on clerical duties. In excerpts from police interviews after her arrest, shown to the jury, Letby said: 'I just wrote it because everything had got on top of me. 'It was when I'd not long found out I'd been removed from the unit and they were telling me my practice might be wrong, that I needed to read all my competences - my practice might not have been good enough. 'I was blaming myself but not because I'd done something (but) because of the way people were making me feel.' Letby's defence barrister Ben Myers KC told the court: 'You have seen the notes. They are full of distress, self-recrimination and anguish. 'They certainly do show a very distressed woman. Someone in a terrible state of anguish.' However, the prosecution said the notes were confessions of guilt and not the 'anguished outpourings of a woman in fear and despair'. Prof Gill added: 'I understand why the jury came to guilty verdicts given what they were told. 'The police and CPS were convinced Letby was an evil killer and they were forced to fill the trial with junk.' He said he is pleased to see something of a shift in the narrative surrounding Letby by many. 'I think the shift is clear,' he explained. 'Of those who have an interest in the case many are at least coming round to the idea of them being unsafe convictions, if not agreeing she is innocent. 'People are prepared to say she's innocent. I believe she's completely innocent. I've said that for a long time, but for a long time I was among the very few who dared to say it.' The charges Letby was convicted on in full Child A, allegation of murder. The Crown said Letby injected air intravenously into the bloodstream of the baby boy. COUNT 1 GUILTY. Child B, allegation of attempted murder. The Crown said Letby attempted to murder the baby girl, the twin sister of Child A, by injecting air into her bloodstream. COUNT 2 GUILTY. Child C, allegation of murder. Prosecutors said Letby forced air down a feeding tube and into the stomach of the baby boy. COUNT 3 GUILTY. Child D, allegation of murder. The Crown said air was injected intravenously into the baby girl. COUNT 4 GUILTY. Child E, allegation of murder. The Crown said Letby murdered the twin baby boy with an injection of air into the bloodstream and also deliberately caused bleeding to the infant. COUNT 5 GUILTY. Child F, allegation of attempted murder. Letby was said by prosecutors to have poisoned the twin brother of Child E with insulin. COUNT 6 GUILTY. Child G, three allegations of attempted murder. The Crown said Letby targeted the baby girl by overfeeding her with milk and pushing air down her feeding tube. COUNT 7 GUILTY, COUNT 8 GUILTY, COUNT 9 NOT GUILTY. Child H, two allegations of attempted murder. Prosecutors said Letby sabotaged the care of the baby girl in some way which led to two profound oxygen desaturations. COUNT 10 NOT GUILTY, COUNT 11 JURY COULD NOT REACH VERDICT. Child I, allegation of murder. The prosecution said Letby killed the baby girl at the fourth attempt and had given her air and overfed her with milk. COUNT 12 GUILTY. Child J, allegation of attempted murder. No specific form of harm was identified by the prosecution but they said Letby did something to cause the collapse of the baby girl. COUNT 13 JURY COULD NOT REACH VERDICT. Child K, allegation of attempted murder. The prosecution said Letby compromised the baby girl as she deliberately dislodged a breathing tube. COUNT 14 JURY COULD NOT REACH VERDICT. Child L, allegation of attempted murder. The Crown said the nurse poisoned the twin baby boy with insulin. COUNT 15 GUILTY. Child M, allegation of attempted murder. Prosecutors said Letby injected air into the bloodstream of Child L's twin brother. COUNT 16 GUILTY. Child N, three allegations of attempted murder. The Crown said Letby inflicted trauma in the baby boy's throat and also injected him with air in the bloodstream. COUNT 17 GUILTY, COUNT 18 JURY COULD NOT REACH VERDICT, COUNT 19 JURY COULD NOT REACH VERDICT. Child O, allegation of murder. Prosecutors say Letby attacked the triplet boy by injecting him with air, overfeeding him with milk and inflicting trauma to his liver with "severe force". COUNT 20 GUILTY. Child P, allegation of murder. Prosecutors said the nurse targeted the triplet brother of Child O by overfeeding him with milk, injecting air and dislodging his breathing tube. COUNT 21 GUILTY. Child Q, allegation of attempted murder. The Crown said Letby injected the baby boy with liquid, and possibly air, down his feeding tube. COUNT 22 JURY COULD NOT REACH VERDICT. 10 10
New York Times
8 hours ago
- Entertainment
- New York Times
Serial Killers of the Pacific Northwest: Did Toxins Make Them Do It?
MURDERLAND: Crime and Bloodlust in the Time of Serial Killers, by Caroline Fraser Ever since the first Neanderthal clubbed a fellow caveman in a random act of violence, people have puzzled over the whys behind certain homicidal acts. Crimes of passion, possession, jealousy, rage and lust can be explained. But the serial killer who murders innocents without tidy explanation has kept many people of good conscience, and no small number of cops, up at night. Now comes Caroline Fraser, the lyrically luminescent author of books about a beloved heartland author and the odd mysteries of Christian Science, with a unified theory. It's something in the water — and in the air. She draws a clear line between the crimes committed by some of the world's most awful humans and their exposure to lead and other heavy metals from industrial pollution, primarily in the Pacific Northwest. The effects of lead poisoning on children are well documented. The causal link between this toxic chemical element and serial killers is less so. 'Murderland' is a book-length argument for the lead-crime hypothesis — advanced by a handful of studies in the past— connecting the metal to a host of behavioral problems, including extreme violence. 'Recipes for making a serial killer may vary, including such ingredients as poverty, crude forceps delivery, poor diet, physical and sexual abuse, brain damage and neglect,' Fraser writes. 'Many horrors play a role in warping these tortured souls, but what happens if we add a light dusting from the periodic table on top of all that trauma? How about a little lead in your tea?' Fraser won a Pulitzer Prize for her last book, 'Prairie Fires: The American Dreams of Laura Ingalls Wilder,' which would seem to have little in common with this one. But just as Fraser probed a dark underside to that little house on the prairie, she finds menace beneath all the surface beauty in the far corner of America where she grew up. Even Mount Rainier, one of the most sublime volcanoes on the planet, comes in for a slap against its glacial hide. ''The mountain is out,' people say, self-satisfied, self-confident,' Fraser writes. 'But it is all a facade. The mountain is admittedly 'rotten inside.' Hollow, full of gas. A place where bad things happen.' Earthquakes, epic floods, smoldering peaks lurk, just like the lead from smelters. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
The Sun
4 days ago
- General
- The Sun
From Rose West & Myra Hindley's ‘affair' to child killers at war… why infamous monsters ALWAYS become rivals behind bars
THEIR deadly urges might appear to make them kindred spirits, but behind bars, the world's most despised serial killers have often turned against each other in explosive fashion. From loathsome love affairs to murder plots and gruesome jail attacks, these warped rivalries also expose a dark psychology that drives these infamous monsters, according to a top criminologist. 9 9 This week, it was reported that spree killer Joanna Dennehy threatened to kill Rose West behind bars just minutes after she arrived in the same prison as the House of Horrors murderer. The twisted pair were both caged at HMP Bronzefield in Surrey. West was allegedly taken into solitary confinement before she was transferred to another prison the following day, as prison guards feared the worst. Dennehy is currently serving a life term in prison for stabbing five men, three who died, is known as one of the country's most notorious female killers. Criminologist Professor David Wilson is not at all surprised that Dennehy would want to target West, explaining she is desperate to cement her own self-styled reputation as Britain's most evil woman. 'Quite clearly Rose West is a convicted serial killer, then you have Joanna Dennehy who isn't a serial killer, but is a spree killer,' he explains. 'But Joanna Dennehy has carefully constructed for herself a persona where she wants to be seen as the most dangerous woman that Britain has ever produced. 'And therefore having Rose West in the same prison... she undermines that sense. "A plot for the spree killer to kill the serial killer embellishes and improves her reputation as being that dangerous female murderer. She would be the ultimate top dog. 'These people want to reinvent their brand, sometimes they are polishing that sense of what the public think of them, because these confrontations get reported on. They can enhance and keep their brand in the limelight.' But Dennehy isn't the only notorious prisoner to start a bitter feud behind bars with an infamous rival. And Professor Wilson, also a former prison governor, says there are two key reasons for this - personality and the prison environment. 'Ultimately what characterises them all is narcissism. These people like to be the centre of attention, and as long as they can be the centre of attention that fits their psychological needs," he says. 'Sometimes a friendship or alliance with another prisoner who has a reputation outside or inside can enhance their narcissistic personality trait. "But other times if they feel that they are under threat from that person, they will change their behaviour accordingly and they will fall out. 'Then the key sociological aspect is that they are all incarcerated in a maximum security prison or a secure hospital. And there is a prison hierarchy and they have a reputation that they want to retain. 'Sometimes the fact that there is a hierarchy means that they want to position themselves as higher up than another prisoner. "Or it may be that they see a kindred spirit so that they can combine forces and act jointly to maintain their place in the hierarchy. "Sometimes there are genuine friendships that develop within secure hospitals and maximum security prisons.' But often these friendships can twist into deadly and bitter rivalry... as we reveal here. Rose West and Myra Hindley 9 Mass murderers Rose West and Myra Hindley were as 'thick as thieves' until a sudden split after they quarrelled over who was more famous, a fellow lag claims. Moors Murderer Myra and Cromwell Street killer Rose first met in HMP Durham in the mid 1990s. It was claimed they had a 'short-lived lesbian relationship' before the fallout. West's former solicitor Leo Goatley said: "Rose's first paramour was the Moors murderer, Myra Hindley, who happened to be on the hospital wing at HMP Durham at the same time in 1995 and early 1996." However, Mr Goatley claims their relationship didn't last long with West saying Hindley could be "very manipulative'. He told the Daily Mail: "When I visited a few months later, Rose's opinion of Hindley had changed dramatically. "She was saying, 'You have to watch Hindley, mind. She is very manipulative. "'You don't realise it, but she gets you doing stuff for her. Oh, she's clever, all right. She's flippin' dangerous, that one. She ain't going to take me for a c*** again.' "And so heralded the end of the romance.' Fellow prisoner Linda Calvey, who served 18 years inside, later claimed the relationship didn't last long, saying: "As fast as it happened, it ended. "There was talk that because Rose was more famous than Myra it had put her nose out of joint.' Yorkshire Ripper and Ronnie Kray 9 Yorkshire Ripper Peter Sutcliffe and gangland killer Ronnie Kray were both banged up in maximum security psychiatric hospital Broadmoor in the early 90s. Serial killer Sutcliffe and mobster Kray were once on friendly terms inside, with Sutcliffe being trusted to cut Kray's hair. But Sutcliffe told a pal just months before his death that he threatened to kill Kray after the gangster made advances towards him. In one letter, he wrote: 'I did not give Ronnie a beating although I did threaten him when he tried to make advances on me.' Ronnie Kray died, aged 61, in 1995, while Sutcliffe, who murdered 13 women, died at HMP Frankland from a combination of Covid-19 and heart disease in November 2020, aged 74. Ian Brady and Raymond Morris The country's most notorious child killers, Raymond Morris and Ian Brady, were embroiled in a savage, behind-bars rivalry. While serving their life sentences the pair often had violent clashes as they argued about who had the greater notoriety. The Cannock Chase Killer and the Moors Murderer attacked each other in Durham Prison, throwing hot water over each other – and both received treatment for scalds following the violence. Historian Richard Pursehouse said of one of the attacks: 'Assuming the phrase was around then, apparently Brady, who had chosen 'tea, no milk, plenty of sugar', had 'napalmed' Morris. 'The lack of milk means it would be hot, while lots of sugar means the tea would stick to Morris's face.' Walsall monster Morris, who died in 2014, was only ever convicted of the murder of seven-year-old Christine Darby but remains chief suspect in the killings of Margaret and Diana Tift. Brady, along with his girlfriend Myra Hindley, was convicted of the murders of five children. He died in prison in 2017. Charles Bronson and Robert Maudsley 9 One of Britain's most feared killers is reportedly embroiled in a bitter feud with infamous prisoner Charles Bronson. Robert Maudsley, who earned the nickname 'Hannibal the Cannibal' after allegations he ate one of his victims' brains, has been locked up for more than 40 years. His dangerous reputation has led to him being kept in isolation inside a glass box underground. The pair reportedly "hated" each other inside HMP Wakefield, also known as "Monster Mansion". In the book, Inside Wakefield Prison, authors Jonathan Levi and Emma French recount how one prison guard, named Jo, described how the pair would torment one another. "Robert Maudsley, Bob as he is known, hates Bronson. They simply do not get on," they explained. "When I was on the unit, Maudsley would play rock music loud to annoy Bronson.' The music would echo through the cell walls and provoke Bronson to "shout" at the killer who refused to respond. In a particularly twisted form of revenge, Bronson was allegedly known to whistle outside Maudsley's cell, supposedly because the latter's mother would lock him in a cupboard and whistle outside the door. Bronson has claimed he and Maudsley fell out over a rejected gift - and he wants revenge. He revealed that he sent Maudsley a watch as a gift, only for it to be rejected by the killer, who instructed the prison guard trying to deliver it to throw the watch in a bin. After the incident he called Maudsley 'an ungrateful b*****d and threatened: 'I pray to one day bump into him at 300mph and, unlike him, I don't need a blade." Levi Bellfield and John Warboys Black cab rapist John Worboys bonded with killer Levi Bellfield over their love of football and food - before falling out when Bellfield found out Worboys admitted he was guilty. Bellfield became 'best friends' with rapist Warboys and even offered legal advice, said insiders. When Worboys was moved to a different prison he kept in touch with Bellfield, one of the UK's most notorious child killers, by letter. Despite their friendship Bellfield later wrote to a pen pal claiming they were only pals because he believed Warboys was innocent. He wrote: "He told me he was innocent when I was there. And if he's admitted his guilt now I'm a little bit disappointed because I looked to him as being innocent. "Like a mug I was, but that's what he told me. That's what he told everyone.' Bellfield was jailed for life in 2008 for the hammer murders of Amelie Delagrange, 22, and 19-year-old Marsha McDonnell and the attempted murder of Kate Sheedy, 18. Three years later he was convicted of killing schoolgirl Milly Dowler, 13, who was abducted on her way home from school in Walton-on-Thames, Surrey in 2002. Roy Whiting and Gary Vinter Double killer Gary Vinter set his sights on Roy Whiting because of his notoriety. Convicted sex offender Whiting had been jailed for life 2001 for the murder of eight-year-old Sarah Payne, who disappeared while playing near her grandparents' home in Kingston Gorse, West Sussex, in July 2000. Vinter stabbed Whiting in the eyes with a sharpened toilet brush handle in 2011. He attacked Whiting in an attempt to get his own jail conditions changed, Newcastle Crown Court heard. Vinter told the court: "He [Whiting] was a dirty little nonce. That's why I did it." Vinter admitted the attack and was given an indefinite sentence with a notional five-year minimum jail term. But that wasn't the end of his prison violence and Vinter has since become known as one of the most feared prisoners in the British justice system. In 2016 he was handed another life sentence for trying to kill double killer Lee Newell, a fellow lifer at HMP Woodhill. Newell was kicked repeatedly in the head. A prison officer said they were the worst injuries he had seen. Passing sentence, Judge Richard Foster told Vinter: "You must be one of the most dangerous individuals within the prison system today. Your record is truly shocking." Edmund Kemper and Herbert Mullin 9 In 1970s California, there was not one but two serial killers on the loose at the same time. Eventually cops arrested Herbert Mullin and Edmund Kemper after the deaths of 21 people, and the pair ended up in adjoining cells in prison. But that despite their grisly common ground, the men did not get along, with Kemper trying to torment Mullin. Kemper recalled: "Well, [Mullin] had a habit of singing and bothering people when somebody tried to watch TV. "So I threw water on him to shut him up. Then, when he was a good boy, I'd give him some peanuts. Herbie liked peanuts. "That was effective because pretty soon he asked permission to sing. That's called behaviour modification treatment.' Who are the UK's worst serial killers? THE UK's most prolific serial killer was actually a doctor. Here's a rundown of the worst offenders in the UK. British GP Harold Shipman is one of the most prolific serial killers in recorded history. He was found guilty of murdering 15 patients in 2000, but the Shipman Inquiry examined his crimes and identified 218 victims, 80 per cent of whom were elderly women. After his death Jonathan Balls was accused of poisoning at least 22 people between 1824 and 1845. Mary Ann Cotton is suspected of murdering up to 21 people, including husbands, lovers and children. She is Britain's most prolific female serial killer. Her crimes were committed between 1852 and 1872, and she was hanged in March 1873. Amelia Sach and Annie Walters became known as the Finchley Baby Farmers after killing at least 20 babies between 1900 and 1902. The pair became the first women to be hanged at Holloway Prison on February 3, 1903. William Burke and William Hare killed 16 people and sold their bodies. Yorkshire Ripper Peter Sutcliffe was found guilty in 1981 of murdering 13 women and attempting to kill seven others between 1975 and 1980. Dennis Nilsen was caged for life in 1983 after murdering up to 15 men when he picked them up from the streets. He was found guilty of six counts of murder and two counts of attempted murder and was sentenced to life in jail. Fred West was found guilty of killing 12 but it's believed he was responsible for many more deaths.
The Sun
5 days ago
- General
- The Sun
Curse of Fred & Rose West's children – from tragic suicide to paedo son who chillingly said ‘I have a bit of dad in me'
THEY grew up in the house of horrors where their twisted parents sexually tortured and murdered young women - including their own sister. The children of Fred and Rose West lived with the threat that if they misbehaved they could end up buried under the patio like their sister, Heather, while the girls also had to fend off the disgusting sexual advances of their dad. 14 14 14 14 The couple's evil crimes were only uncovered when the traumatised children told teachers about Heather's gruesome grave, sparking a police search that uncovered nine bodies buried in the garden and cellar of 25 Cromwell Street in Gloucester. The rapist and serial killer couple shared ten children in total - including five they had together. Charmaine and Anne-Marie were Fred's daughters from his first marriage, then there were Heather, Mae, Tara, Louise, Rosemary Jr, Lucyanna, Stephen and Barry. Three of these children were conceived with clients Rose slept with while working as a prostitute, while Charmaine and Heather were killed by their parents after enduring years of abuse. The surviving siblings have felt the curse of the Wests' depraved crimes over the years, as they struggled to come to terms with the lasting impact of their warped childhood. Fred committed at least 12 murders and killed himself in January 1995 while on remand in prison. Rose was convicted of ten murders in November 1995 and sentenced to ten life terms with a whole life order. Now, after The Sun revealed their paedophile son Stephen has had his eighth child - a daughter with his former glamour model fiancée Emma Bradley - we look at where the troubled West children are now. Anne-Marie Anne-Marie was Fred's second daughter from his first marriage to Catherine Costello, known as Rena. Her mother and older sister Charmaine were both murdered by the Wests. Anne-Marie is the oldest surviving child of the family and she was the only one of her siblings to testify about the abuse they suffered at Rose and Fred's hands in court. In 1972, when Anne-Marie was eight years old, she was restrained and raped by Fred, while Rose watched and actively encouraged the abuse, even forcibly undressing her step-daughter. After this first assault, Rose — who was sexually abused by her own father — allegedly told Anne-Marie: 'I'm sorry. Everybody does it to every girl. It's a father's job. Don't worry, and don't say anything to anybody.' From the age of 13, Anne-Marie was forced into prostitution, telling clients who visited the house - where Rose was already selling sex - that she was 16. Anne-Marie ran away from home in 1979 when she was 15. She later changed her name to Anne-Marie, and married husband Philip Davis. She later wrote a book about her ordeal at the hands of her parents called Out of the Shadows. Now aged 61, she still lives in Gloucester but has sadly struggled with her mental health for years. Last month her husband told the Daily Mail that she was estranged from her siblings despite them living in close proximity. 'It's the siblings who live with the misery and pain of what went on in that house and the trauma is probably too much for them to have any contact," he said. "Even though some of them live near each other, they don't speak or see each other because that only opens up old wounds for them." Mae West 14 14 14 Shortly after Mae was born in 1972, Rose started selling sex from an upstairs room at their Cromwell Street home, meaning Mae always grew up with a string of strangers coming in and out of the house. Mae also suffered physical abuse at the hands of her mother, and was sexually abused by Fred. After her parents' arrest, Mae initially denied that she'd been sexually abused, but later wrote about it in her 2018 memoir, Love as Always. She also detailed her struggle to come to terms with the crimes her parents committed. "Knowing your parents are regarded by most people as evil beyond belief is incredibly hard to live with, especially when your own experience of them has been more complicated and you've seen a side to them which makes them more than simply monsters," she wrote. "Both of them had a side which seemed, at times at least, like other people. Mum could be tender and gentle with very young children; she had a sense of humour. Dad could be friendly and make us laugh.' Even after Rose was convicted of 10 murders and sentenced to life in prison, Mae still believed she was innocent and continued to write to her and visit her in prison. She told That's Life magazine: 'As the years passed though, I realised how controlling and manipulative Mum was. She'd been dubbed the most evil woman who had ever lived. 'I've read about Stockholm syndrome, where a person can become emotionally dependent on the person who is holding them hostage. I realised I was an emotional hostage to Mum. Now we no longer speak.' Mae is now married and has two children, Amy and Luke. After Luke was born she became a recluse, terrified to leave the house in case she was recognised as a West. But with the help of therapy she has come to terms with her past and has a job in retail. Stephen West 14 Stephen, now 51, lives in Gloucestershire with his former glamour model fiancée Emma Bradley just a few miles away from his childhood home, the Cromwell Street house of horrors. Stephen may have been the first person Fred confided in about his crimes. On the morning police began searching their infamous 25 Cromwell Street home, Fred reportedly told his son: 'Look son, look after mum and sell the house… I've done something really bad. I want you to go to the papers and make as much money as you can.' Later, while in custody, Fred made chilling admissions to Stephen, including the horrifying revelation that as a child, the young boy had unknowingly helped dig the graves of his father's victims. Stephen recalled: 'He [Fred] said to me: 'Can you remember helping me dig those holes in the garden when you were a kid?' I said I couldn't remember, but he said: 'We did it together, you know.' Then he said: 'That's where the girls were found, in the exact holes.'' Stephen struggled mentally and attempted suicide in 2002. Two years later, he was sentenced to nine months in prison after admitting to seven counts of having underage sex with a 14-year-old girl when he was 20. He reportedly once remarked: 'There's a bit of my dad in me.' Sources said Stephen and fiancée Emma are planning to tie the knot in August at the posh Celtic Manor hotel in Newport - against her family's wishes. One family insider told The Sun: 'None of us support it. He makes us uncomfortable.' Stephen, who is a grandad, has been married twice before and now has eight children. The former builder is believed to be out of work and living on benefits, driving a motability car he gets for one of his daughters, who is disabled. Last month he told the Daily Mail that most of the West children are estranged, explaining, "We don't have anything to do with each other. I don't speak to my siblings and there are no large happy family get-togethers. Too much has gone on. It's probably too painful for us." Barry West 14 14 14 Born in 1980, Barry was one of the West's younger children and claimed to have seen his parents murder his sister Heather when he was just seven years old. He said: 'I heard my mum slap her, then I looked through the crack and saw my dad walk round behind her and put his leg out. Then he grabbed her neck and tripped her over. 'She went on to the floor. I could see her just a few feet away. Then my mum just booted her. 'She was kicking and kicking her and calling her a s**g. My dad still had her by the throat.' He later branded his mother a 'psychopath' and said: 'I was happy when my dad committed suicide and now I think they should put my mum in a room with all the parents of the people she helped murder so they could tear her to pieces.' Who are the UK's worst serial killers? THE UK's most prolific serial killer was actually a doctor. Here's a rundown of the worst offenders in the UK. British GP Harold Shipman is one of the most prolific serial killers in recorded history. He was found guilty of murdering 15 patients in 2000, but the Shipman Inquiry examined his crimes and identified 218 victims, 80 per cent of whom were elderly women. After his death Jonathan Balls was accused of poisoning at least 22 people between 1824 and 1845. Mary Ann Cotton is suspected of murdering up to 21 people, including husbands, lovers and children. She is Britain's most prolific female serial killer. Her crimes were committed between 1852 and 1872, and she was hanged in March 1873. Amelia Sach and Annie Walters became known as the Finchley Baby Farmers after killing at least 20 babies between 1900 and 1902. The pair became the first women to be hanged at Holloway Prison on February 3, 1903. William Burke and William Hare killed 16 people and sold their bodies. Yorkshire Ripper Peter Sutcliffe was found guilty in 1981 of murdering 13 women and attempting to kill seven others between 1975 and 1980. Dennis Nilsen was caged for life in 1983 after murdering up to 15 men when he picked them up from the streets. He was found guilty of six counts of murder and two counts of attempted murder and was sentenced to life in jail. Fred West was found guilty of killing 12 but it's believed he was responsible for many more deaths. He tragically died of a suspected overdose in 2020, aged just 40, while he was living in a supported hostel for adults coming out of rehab or prison. Journalist Howard Sounes, who wrote a book on the depraved couple, met Barry and had stayed in touch. He said Barry was tormented by his childhood. He said: 'He was totally haunted by his childhood. How do you overcome being the son of Fred and Rose West? 'The whole West story is littered with these really tragic stories, there was a lot of collateral of the West murder case.' Tara West Tara was born of Rose West's prostitution and her biological father was one of Rose's clients. Tara, now 47, was named after the Tara Hotel in Gloucester, which Rose frequented with her clients. In 1992, she was taken into care and forbidden contact with her parents or her older siblings. She is now believed to be married and living in the north of England under a different name. Louise West Louise, now 46, was also taken into foster care as a child and is now thought to be living in the north of England. She is believed to have intermittent contact with some of her sisters. Rosemary Jr. and Lucyanna Both Rosemary Jr, 42, and Lucyanna, 41, were fathered by clients of Rose. They too had their names changed when taken into foster care in 1992 and have remained private under their new identities. 14 14 14
Daily Mail
6 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.
