A house of horrors in Gloucester (Part 1/3) | Forensic Files

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this episode contains graphic descriptions of child abuse it won't be suitable for all listeners
[Music] well Rose it's your birthday on 29 November 1994 and you will be 41 and still beautiful and still lovely and I
love you we will always be in love the most wonderful thing in my life was when I met you
our love is special to us so love keep your promises to me you know what they are
where we are put together forever and ever is up to you you will always be Mrs West all over the
world that is important to me and to you I haven't got you a present but all I have is my life I will give it to you my
darling when you are ready come to me I will be waiting for you [Music] [Music] the birth of Frederick West on the
morning of September 29 1941 brought his mother Daisy immense Joy Frederick or Fred as he came to be known
was Daisy's second child her first had been a premature daughter who died just days after being born
having experienced this loss Daisy considered a baby Fred with his thick curly hair and striking blue eyes
especially precious he was also the son her husband Walter had always wanted the wests lived in a century-old cottage
in the English Village of much Marco which was home to just a few hundred residents
there was no running water electricity or gas wartime rationing coupled with Walter's
meega farm hand earnings meant the family relied on the land much Michael's Countryside was defined
by Acres of Green Pastures fruit orchards and crop fields the West spent a lot of time Outdoors
picking fruit rolling hay bales and hunting rabbits they moved from one Farm to the next yet
hardship and scarcity followed wherever they went over the next decade Daisy and Walter
had six more children three girls and three boys one of their sons died from a heart
defect when he was a month old Daisy West was a doting and attentive mother but her oldest Fred was by far
her favorite none of her other children nor her husband could compete with Daisy's love
for Fred when conflict arose between Fred and his siblings Daisy always sided with Fred
even when he was obviously lying he reciprocated his mother's unconditional love by doing everything
she asked of him by most accounts Fred West was an ordinary boy though cheeky and somewhat
mouthy whenever he stepped out of line Fred's father flogged him with his leather belt
Daisy wasn't averse to dulling out corporal punishment either and once struck Fred with a shovel
to Fred his mother was a formidable woman equal parts nurturer provider and protector
one day eight-year-old Fred revealed that he was being regularly caned at school
Daisy was outraged she went to the school and publicly berated Fred's teacher Fred's classmates ridiculed him for
being a quote mummy's boy Fred didn't stand up for himself he was known to have a really long fuse
and wasn't easily provoked he was also sensitive after accidentally killing a bird with
an air rifle he showed a genuine remorse [Music] Fred's poor hygiene isolated him further
from his peers in time his teeth grew discolored and his dark curly hair became an unruly
mess Fred came to rely on his siblings for companionship loyalty among the six West children was
fostered by their secluded rural upbringing however the preferential treatment Fred
received from their mother fueled some animosity between them he did manage to form a bond with his
brother John who was one year younger by age 15 Fred West was done with the education system
he left school with the reading and writing comprehension of a seven-year-old Fred made up for his shortcomings by
having magnificent neuro-linguistic skills he had a natural charm and was a gifted
smooth talker people were captivated and delighted by his amusing stories as Fred hit puberty and developed an
interesting girls he started putting more effort into his appearance he began wearing clean clothes and
combing his hair regardless most young women found Fred West crude and unpleasant
he'd grab and fondle them whether they expressed interest in him or not it didn't matter if they had a boyfriend
either Fred enjoyed rallying up other young men with his boorish Behavior whenever fights ensued Fred stood back
and let his younger brother John defend him on his 17th birthday Fred gifted himself
a 125 CC James motorcycle it quickly became his most prized possession granting freedom from his
isolated home the following year in November 1958 Fred was riding his motorbike home one night
down a dark pothole ridden Road he collided with a young girl who was traveling on a bicycle in the opposite
direction she sustained minor injuries Fred hadn't been wearing a helmet he was found unconscious and bloody
it took a week for him to regain Consciousness at which point he felt he had come back from the dead
[Music] a steel plate had been inserted in Fred's head to hold his shuddered skull
together a scar spanned the bridge of his broken nose one of his arms was permanently damaged
his broken leg healed shorter than the other resulting in a distinct lamp he also formed a lifelong aversion to
hospitals Fred was taunted and teased for the stiff way he now walked and for the
first time in his life he began responding to his bullies with aggression years later in 1960 Fred attended a
social event at a local youth club he was standing on the steps of the building's first floor fire escape when
he attempted to grope a girl the girl hit Fred causing him to lose balance he tumbled over the railing and fell 10
feet Landing head first on the concrete below the impact once again rendered Fred
unconscious and bloody he was rushed to hospital where he woke up 24 hours later
Fred seemingly recovered from this second severe head injury as well but others started to notice that he'd
become markedly irritable and short-tempered [Music] in April of 1961 Fred had his first
brush with the law he was caught shoplifting a gold watch strap and two cigarette cases
in court Fred was fined four pounds plus costs this was more than a week's worth of his
wages but Fred didn't seem to care a few months later thirteen-year-old Kitty West discovered she was pregnant
she revealed that her brother Fred West who was six years her senior had raped her on multiple occasions over a
six-month period when questioned about Kitty's accusations Fred seemed unfazed he casually confessed that he'd been
molesting young girls since his early teens he thought this was normal asking well doesn't everyone do it
Fred told police that sexual abuse was common in his household he implied that he'd been introduced to
sex by his own mother when he was 12 years old Fred also accused his father Walter of
abusing his sisters Fred said Walter West had given him the impression that incest was normal
he claimed that his father taught and encouraged him to perform illicit acts with animals as well
for the alleged rape of his sister Fred West was charged with unlawful carnal knowledge of a child
for the first time in his life he earned his mother's contempt Daisy West was disgusted with her
beloved Son and sent him to live with an aunt Fred's first taste of motherly rejection
was extremely bitter in the space of a day he had gone from Golden Child to Black Sheep
he quit his farm work to distance himself from his family and took up various construction jobs
while awaiting his day in court nineteen-year-old Fred groomed a 14 year old girl even offering her an engagement
ring she said that Fred raped her twice after one of the assaults he suffered some kind of seizure-like attack
in November 1961 the now 20 year old Fred West faced trial for the rape of his sister
the West Family Doctor testified in his defense saying that Fred had likely sustained brain damage from his previous
head injuries and might be epileptic this could explain he suddenly volatile Behavior
Daisy West put her personal feelings aside to appear as a witness on her son's behalf
Kitty West had since had an abortion when it came time for her to testify she refused to name Fred as her abuser or
give evidence against him the case collapsed and Fred left court a free man he didn't face any further disciplinary
measures or monitoring over the following year tensions between Fred and his parents called and he
eventually moved back to the family farm where they presented a united front yet Fred's relationships with several of
his siblings remained tarnished Kitty West had become withdrawn and was never the same
foreign s Fred attended a dance where he met a 16 year old Scottish girl named Catherine Costello
better known as Rina she was staying with relatives in the area Rina grew up in a broken overcrowded
home and had been in minor trouble with the law from an early age she was described by those who knew her
best as a lovable Rogue while her upbringing made her tough headstrong and independent Rina was also
at risk of being manipulated she wanted more out of life and hoped to make something of herself
Fred impressed Reina by exaggerating the story of his motorcycle accident he said that he died on the operating
table and when his body touched the morgue's cold Marble Slab his heart miraculously restarted
Reina was captivated by Fred they began an intense relationship having each other's names tattooed on
their arms but when Fred displayed a jealous streak their romance ended and Rina returned to
Scotland with Fred's family and Court dramas behind him he became reacquainted with
Arena Costello it had been two years since they had broken up and Rina had returned to
England and was working as a waitress she was also pregnant by another man whom she was no longer involved with
Fred pushed Rina to let him perform an abortion Rina couldn't get the procedure done any
other way as abortions were illegal at the time Fred and Arena headed into nearby
Woodlands to carry out the operation but had to stop prematurely when he was caught in the act
Fred and Rina devised the new plan they would get married and Fred would raise reina's child as his own
when Fred turned 21 the pair wed in secret believing his mother would never approve
the only guest present at the registry office was Fred's closest sibling John when Fred broke the news to his parents
Walter West was indifferent Daisy was upset by the secrecy But ultimately accepted her son's marriage
she allowed the newlyweds to move in with them but the West's modest Homestead was too crowded for Fred and
Arena they relocated to Scotland and settled in a small flat in the Inland town of
coatbridge near the city of Glasgow it was where Rina was born and raised and allowed her to be close to her
sisters and friends Fred didn't take well to his new industrial surroundings and urban
lifestyle it was difficult for him to adapt or fit in his West country accent and illiteracy
earned him the nickname country bumpkin at home Fred's marriage quickly grew strained
whenever he was unhappy with Arena he resorted to violence he'd beat her if she was late serving
him dinner or if she refused his advances Fred demanded sex every day and at inappropriate times
sex with Fred often left arena in tears his pleasure was all that mattered to him
he veered into acts of sadism hurting Rina for his own gratification he sought to push her boundaries but
Rina was frightened and wouldn't let him in March 1963 Rina gave birth to a baby
girl she named Charmaine charmaine's biological father was Asian and she inherited his olive skin and
dark eyes it was obvious to others that she wasn't Fred West's daughter rina's family weren't happy that
Charmaine appeared mixed race sensing Fred's family would react similarly Fred and Rina told the wests
that Rina had miscarried their child they had adopted a quote little-colored girl as a replacement
Fred's dislike of Charmaine was clear from the outside he appeared to resent having to raise
another man's child sometimes he'd walk out on Rina as though ending their marriage for good
but he always returned eventually It is believed that Fred fathered at least two children to different women
during this time however his name didn't appear on either child's birth certificate and he didn't
feature much in their lives Rena was aware of Fred's infidelity in turn she started an affair with a bus
driver named John McLaughlin Reina eventually had the tattoo of Fred's name on her arm crossed out and
replaced with John's Fred was Furious he lashed out at Rina with the John later saying
Rina had bruises everywhere it was sadism one night Rina and John were in a park
together when Fred suddenly appeared from the darkness he ordered Rina to go home then punched
her John hid Fred in retaliation who slashed Jon's stomach with a knife John punched Fred again
when it was clear that Jon wasn't backing down Fred stopped assaulting him John then realized that Fred West was
someone who only attacked those who couldn't or wouldn't fight back in July 1964 Rena gave birth to a second
daughter named Anna Marie Fred was the father he treated the baby kindly as she was
his flesh and blood but he continued his cruelty to Charmaine whenever Fred was home Charmaine had to
go to her room slats had been secured across the bottom half of a bunk bed creating a makeshift
to jail Charmaine was kept there alone for hours at a time when speaking to his family in England
Fred painted a different picture he bragged about being an important man who earned a fortune through organized
crime in reality Fred drove an ice cream truck through his work he encountered many
young women and girls some of whom he offered rides to [Music] in the first half of 1965 Fred was
driving his ice cream truck when he struck and killed a four-year-old boy police concluded that death was
accidental and Fred wasn't charged but indignant locals accused Fred of careless driving
this hostility was exacerbated by rumors that Fred was a pedophile when the 12 year old sister of a local
gang member accused Fred of sexual assault words spread that anyone who did fret in would be rewarded
at one stage young men wielding knives razors bricks and hatchets chased Fred's ice cream truck through the streets
realizing the danger he faced in Glasgow Fred returned to England and resettled in March Marco
Reno eventually joined him and they moved to their small family into a caravan in the village of Sandhurst
Fred found work driving a lorry for an abattoir his marriage remained Rocky prompting
Rina to retreat to Scotland whenever she needed space in Scotland Rena West was friends with a
young woman named Isa McNeil Isa had previously worked for the wests as a full-time live-in nanny
Reena asked Isa to move to England and stay with the family once again Isa agreed
she brought along her best friend a teenager named Anna McFall Anna had been going through some
personal crises and welcomed a new start in England she and Isa shared a couch in the West's
Caravan unable to find work the two women spend a lot of time with the west and witnessed Fred's abusive Behavior first
hand his moods were unpredictable when happy Fred got a kick out of being vulgar
at his worst he'd attack Raina Isa tried to protect her friend but Fred threatened to kill Liza if she didn't
get out of his way before he left for work each morning Fred warned Rina not to go anywhere
during the day Isa believed Fred was paranoid that his wife was going to leave him
one day Rina reached out to her former boyfriend to John McLaughlin he drove overnight from Scotland to help
Arena and the others escape he arrived at the Sandhurst Caravan park at dawn after Fred had already left for
work as the women were packing their things Fred reappeared when he saw John he began screaming
furiously Reina was adamant about leaving she headed into the Caravan to get her
code Fred followed and slapped her several times Rina went back outside as she went to rescue her two children
Fred grabbed Charmaine Reina struggled to pry her young daughter from Fred's grasp
John punched Fred in the stomach but still he refused to let Charmaine go he yelled at Reina
I'll kill you if you ever show your face again neighbors called the police John quickly returned to his car with
Arena and to ISA McNeil inside as they drove off Reina sobbed about having to leave her daughters behind
with Fred while all this was happening animac 4 stood to one side calmly watching the
chaos unfold Reina had urged her to come with them but Anna said she wanted to stay and be
Fred's nanny this came as little surprise to Reno and Isa while they were plotting to get away
from Fred they noticed Anna had been growing friendly with him they suspected that she had alerted Fred
to their Escape Plan truth was Anna had fallen in love with Fred West she had endured a troubled upbringing
and was mourning the recent Unexpected death of her boyfriend Fred promised her a better life
in letters to her mother in Scotland Anna swooned at the prospect of marrying Fred
she wrote about Fred's financial success and how he'd moved her into a beautiful
house in reality Anna was Raising Charmaine and Anna Marie in Fred's Caravan they were barely scraping by
at 16 years old Anna was eight years younger than Fred her young age coupled with her lack of
child rearing experience LED Anna to struggle in taking care of the West girls Fred decided to surrender them to Social
Services and they were placed into foster care he'd retrieved the pair every so often
only to send them back when he no longer wanted them around [Music] despite this no alarm was Ever Raised
within the social welfare system regarding Charmaine and Anna Marie's treatment the authorities never identified the
West children as vulnerable nor was their home environment routinely checked to determine if it was safe
Rena West was miserable without her children in 1966 she returned to England for her
daughters Reina successfully reclaimed Charmaine and Anna Marie but she wasn't done with
Fred West the two resumed their tumultuous relationship Fred was still saying Anna McFall though
she had since moved to her own Caravan in another Park Anna was delighted when she found out
she was pregnant she began pressing Fred to divorce Reina but he wouldn't go through with it
and then in July 1967 just a few weeks before animac4 was due to give birth she vanished
when friends and family in Scotland abruptly stopped hearing from Anna they assumed she was focusing on her new life
in England as such no one reported her missing Anna's mother died a short time later
Anna was a no-show at her funeral while this raised some concerns it wasn't enough to compel anyone to
investigate and as whereabouts with Anna McFall gone Fred West's Behavior changed
he moved to a new Caravan Park in the village of Bishop's cleave where he kept to himself and seemed perpetually lost
in thought neighbors described him as strange and tense as though he were in a dream world
Rainer eventually moved back in with him along with her two daughters this time around Fred seemed less
jealous and controlling [Music] although things were better overall the couple continued to argue about finances
Fred began working as a laborer for a flower and animal feed manufacturer as he worked the night shift Rina took
on sex work Fred welcomed the extra cash and wasn't bothered by how it was made he seemingly enjoyed the idea of his
wife giving and receiving sexual gratification from other men and he was far from a prude
Fred openly told wild fabricated stories about his sexual history to anyone who to listen
he would show off pornographic pictures of his wife and liked to discuss obscene
subjects Fred also bragged that he was proficient at performing abortions he shared black and white photos he had
allegedly taken of women mid-procedure one friend was alarmed Enough by Fred's assertions that he informed the police
Fred was questioned but the photos didn't depict anything illegal and nor was it illegal for Fred to have them
he was released without charge in February 1968 Fred's mother Daisy West was hospitalized following
complications from gallstone surgery Fred was the only one of his siblings who didn't visit her
some speculated that he still resented Daisy for abandoning him years earlier after he confessed to molesting girls
Daisy West had died on February 6 at the age of 44. shortly afterwards Fred was fired after
being accused of stealing money he then bounced between jobs before settling into the role of delivery
driver for a bakery in gotherington a small Village North of Bishop's cleave he spent his spare time visiting bars in
an attempt to pick up young women but quickly earned a reputation as a creep like the time he drove an ice cream
truck being a delivery driver gave Fred a way to meet and chat up girls sometimes he'd stop his vehicle just to
accost someone who'd caught his eye age was no barrier with Fred once taking interest in a 10 year old
then one day in early 1969 he noticed a brown-haired teenage girl sitting alone at a bus stop in the town of Cheltenham
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delivery fees with doordash subject to change terms apply Bill Latz had served in the English Navy
in his younger years he was regarded as polite if somewhat stiff but as life wore on Bill became unstable
living with Bill was described as hell he developed obsessive-compulsive disorder and expected his home to be
pristine and free of germs Bill's wife and children worked fastidiously to maintain his extreme
standard of cleanliness if his expectations were not met bill made his family clean the house again
the place constantly reeked of bleach prone to paranoia bill would accuse his family of being against him
he'd lash out violently striking his children with a copper stick throwing them down the stairs and banging their
heads against brick walls he also punched them locked them in sheds and forced them to sleep outside
sometimes he threatened them with knives and axes when Bill's wife Daisy tried to
intervene he beat her and poured boiling water on her throughout all this bill Harvard a
secret he'd been diagnosed as schizophrenic but never sought treatment Daisy and the children were unaware that
he was experiencing full-blown psychotic episodes Daisy let's became highly anxious
depressed and unable to cope she had Hallmarks of postinatal depression though diagnosis of this
condition didn't exist at the time Daisy soon developed a fear of leaving her house known as agoraphobia
she eventually had a complete mental breakdown her Depression was considered so severe
that doctors suggested a treatment called electroconvulsive therapy or ECT this aimed to re-address the chemicals
in the brain that govern mood Daisy was restrained and drugged with muscle relaxants as electrodes were
attached to her freshly shaved scalp a powerful electrical current was then administered to her brain
the treatment caused the daisy to experience seizure-like convulsions and blackouts
she was left feeling exhausted but no less depressed after two of these treatments a
psychiatrist deemed to Daisy's case is more serious than initially thought and prescribed another six rounds of ECT
Daisy was pregnant with her fifth child at the time shortly after her last session in
November 1953 she gave birth to a baby girl named Rosemary according to Daisy baby Rose was as good
as gold yet there were Silence from early on that something was amiss rosalette was an unusually quiet baby
who rarely cried she also had a habit of violently and incessantly rocking back and forth
causing her pram to roll across the floor this tick faded as Rose developed until
it only affected her head she'd swing it around and round as though in a hypnotic trance and wouldn't
react when spoken to at night she kept her siblings away because she rhythmically hit her head
against her cart sometimes she would just stand still staring vacantly through her big dark
dull-like eyes absent-minded and unable to absorb information Rose's Family nicknamed her
dozy Rosie no matter her age Rose always preferred to play with children younger than her
in school she struggled to grasp at the most basic teachings and was held back a
year while Bill lets tormented the rest of his family Rose avoided his Wrath she was so quiet and obedient that she
often went unnoticed her naivety seemed to endear her to her tyrannical father as such she got away with more than her
siblings could ever dream of she avoided her chores by complaining endlessly until someone else did them
for her Bill had no problem with Rose's passive and whiny attitude when he flew into his violent rages Rose
took his side although one of her brothers attributed this to self-preservation it was clear
that Rose was her father's favorite as her siblings bonded over their mistreatment Rose was often left on the
outer her father became her only Ally although no official accusations had been leveled against him words started
circulating that bill lets took an inappropriate interest in children some had even noticed the disconcerting
way that bill cuddled and fondled his own daughters desperate to outrun these rumors Bill
constantly uprooted his family leaving his wife and kids at the mercy of his unpredictable and Brash decision-making
the lats moved across the countryside before settling in Bishop's cleave rosalatz was a loner at her new school
she was a habitual liar who didn't have the social skills to make friends easily
she was also teased for being overweight Rose began hitting children who upset her
once her tormentors realized she would fight back they backed off emboldened by this Rose became the
school bully and was even more despised meanwhile life at home was growing increasingly unstable
sex was a taboo Topic in the let's household and to neither parent discussed it with their children
despite this secrecy Rose began openly flaunting some unusual sexual behaviors she paraded around the house naked and
bathed with the door open so others could see by the time she'd turned 13 she was
sexually abusing her younger brothers she framed this as normal leading the boys to believe the abuse was quote
sisterly love thank you in 1969 Daisy Latz reached Breaking Point with her husband bill
she moved out taking the remaining children who still lived at home including 15 year old Rose
[Music] by this point Rose worked in a mobile snack bar it was positioned on the side of a road
and was frequented by Lorry drivers salesmen and other passers-by as boys her own age hadn't shown any
romantic interest Rose relished to the attention her older male customers gave her
it made her feel mature she often went off with them returning later with her clothes disheveled
other staff were fully aware of what must have taken place questioned one thirty-year-old man for
initiating an illicit relationship with the underage Rose but they never charged
him Daisy let's settled her family on a chicken farm in the village of toddington
not long after the move Rose announced that she was returning to live with her father
while it was no secret that Rose was Bill's favorite child her siblings were still shocked by her decision
they couldn't understand why she would choose to live with his volatile unpredictability over their docile
mother even though Rose had avoided their father's scorn she still had issues with
him one time she contacted Social Services to report that her father was being restrictive
a social worker visited the let's home and spoke with Bill and Rose but they were unable to identify the issue that
had prompted Rosa's complaint [Music] while Bill didn't expect much of Rose he did push her to get a proper job
she found work at a bread shop in Cheltenham a five-mile bus ride away after a shift one night Rose was waiting
to catch a bus home when she was approached by an older man he tried to make a move but Rose made it
clear she wasn't interested the man then went to grab her Rose fled into a nearby park and found
herself cornered against a padlocked gate according to Rose the man quote smashed the padlock off with his fists
he said he had been in the Army and was very strong he then dragged her among some trees
alongside a lake and raped her this wasn't the first time Rose said she had been sexually assaulted
she had previously told others that she had been raped by a man who had given her a ride home from a party
those who knew Rose well were wary of her claims as she was a chronic liar even when giving her the benefit of the
doubt her extraordinary story about a man punching open a padlock LED them to suspect she was embellishing
her history without a man also LED others to assume she wasn't a victim whatever the truth Rose decided to start
catching the bus from the Central Station in Cheltenham as she felt it was far safer
it was at this bus stop that 15 year old Rose was approached by an older man he was short poorly dressed and walked with
a limp his dark curly hair was a mess thick sideburns framed a weathered face marked by tired blue eyes and uneven
stubble he was dirty all over and his worn scarred hands indicated he was a laborer
you coming out with me tonight darling he asked Rose considered the man wholly unattractive and proceeded to ignore him
yet he persisted talkative and Charming he lavished rose with compliments none of it worked
then the man gave Rose a wry smile it exposed his teeth chipped into green colored from years of neglect
while Rose found the men repulsive something about him excited her his name was Fred West aged 27 he was 12
years older than Rose he worked as a delivery driver for a bakery and also lived in Bishop's cleave
a short walk from Rose's house Fred offered to ride the bus with rose during the drive he regaled her with
far-fetched stories about his life he asked Rose out three times but she adamantly rebuffed him
the next time Rose saw Fred West was at the bread shop where she worked she found herself inexplicably drawn to
him when he asked her to meet him at a pub later Rose agreed on this date Fred gifted Rose a lace
dress and fur coat she refused to accept them but Fred insisted then he probed rose with questions in a
bid to figure out if she was sexually active before making advances on her as he had with others in the past Fred
pressed Rose to keep their interactions a secret whenever they met up from then on Fred
gave Rose a few Shillings so her parents would think she was carrying out cleaning work instead of seeing an older
man again foreign Fred and Rayna West were going through a period of separation Fred admitted to Rose that he was
married but made out that he'd been abandoned by his sex worker wife who left him with two young daughters
Fred portrayed himself as a caring and doting father and spoke of wanting more children
he was especially fond of his biological daughter Anna Marie to Fred she was dad's go and he said
they were a tame Rose didn't mind that Fred had children her infantile disposition helped her
relate to them she visited Fred's Caravan often to play with six-year-old Charmaine and
five-year-old Anna Marie the filthy Caravan was far from the pristine condition of Rosa's home a
byproduct of Bill letzer's OCD the more Rose got to know Fred West the more she realized he was the inverse of
her father and that was a good thing [Music] by now Fred's interest in sex had reached extreme levels of sadism
he derived pleasure from giving and receiving brutal aggressive punishments Rina had refused to indulge the darkest
of his fantasies but Rose willingly participated in whatever Fred wanted he used her Limitless submission as an
opportunity to explore a range of fetishes some vastly more depraved than others
and as he had with Arena he pushed Rose into sex work knowing there was a marker for young
seemingly virginal women he wanted to exploit it [Music] Fred began to enjoy voyeurism the act of
watching others engaged in sexual activity this along with bondage became integral
to his sexual gratification by now Daisy Latz had reunited with her husband after struggling to provide for
their children on her own Bill and Daisy suspected that their daughter was spending time with an older
man but when Rose finally introduced them to Fred West they were genuinely shocked
he looked far older than his 27 years and was unimpressive and strange Fred told them that he was wealthy and
successful boasting that he owned multiple properties a hotel and a fleet of ice cream vans
while it was obvious he was lying he spoke with such enthusiasm that he didn't seem to notice that no one was
falling for his ruse Fred lied to the lats about everything in reference to a scar on his nose from
the motorcycle accident Fred said he'd been chased by a woman wielding a chain Rose was silent while he told his
fanciful stories after the couple left Bill and Daisy let's admitted their Mutual dislike of
Fred West Bill reported the illicit relationship to Social Services the authorities recommended that Rose be
placed in care and kept away from Fred by the end of 1969 Rose was moved into a house for troubled teenagers
she lived under strict conditions that included a curfew Rose was miserable saying she felt like
she was in prison during her three-month stay no one in her family came to visit
she couldn't call them as they didn't own a telephone Rose felt forgotten and rejected
she relied on Fred's companionship and tried more actively to see him she escaped to be with him and spent a
weekend by his side that was meant to be with family in letters to Fred Rose expressed her
fear that he would find someone to replace her She Wrote I love you Fred but if anything goes
wrong it will be the end of both of us for good [Music] when Bill Letts discovered that Fred was
still seeing his underage daughter he confronted Fred face to face working himself up into a rage Bill
warned that he would cut Fred up into little pieces if he didn't leave Rose alone
Fred listened impassively Rose would soon be turning 16 and the authorities would have no legal grounds
to detain her but just 11 days before Rose's birthday Fred was taken to jail after failing to
produce documents for his car he'd also accumulated a series of unpaid fines he was only behind bars for 30 days but
Fred hated the experience as he was neither a strong nor intimidating figure he was targeted by
other inmates meanwhile Rose turned 16 and was released from care her father gave her an ultimatum stay
away from Fred West or I will disown you several weeks later Rose went to her parents with her bags packed
Fred had been released from jail and she was now prepared to spend the rest of her life with him
when Rose left Bill phoned the police requesting their assistance to retrieve his daughter
but he soon found out that Rose was pregnant with Fred's baby she refused to terminate the pregnancy
so Bill lets made good on his ultimatum he officially disowned Rose Rose was tasked with looking after
Charmaine and Anna Marie while awaiting the arrival of her own child Fred ordered the girls to call Rose mum
but neither of them wanted to Anna Marie later wrote in her book out of the Shadows
in those days I viewed Rose as a little more than a schoolgirl besotted with my dad and unable to cope with the role of
stepmother to two difficult children at least she regularly told us we were difficult and I don't suppose someone
who was little more than a child herself found us easy to manage by this point Fred's marriage to Reina
was effectively over Fred and Rose relocated Charmaine and Anna Marie to this small city of
Gloucester in England Southwest they moved into one of many semi-detached to multi-story Flats that
filled Midland Road Fred and Rose leased the ground floor of number 25 which consisted of a small
living room a bathroom a kitchen and two bedrooms Fred started working as a tire fitter
and later as a handyman the low pay wasn't enough to support his growing family and he started committing
Petty thefts to get by in October 1970 Rose gave birth to a girl they named Heather
at the time teenage mothers were supposed to be monitored by government Health Services which conducted
well-being checks but Rose's circumstances were never reported by Midwifery staff and to No
Such checks ever took place [Music] Rose wasn't coping with the demands of raising two young children and a newborn
she received a Little Help from Fred who firmly believed that women were responsible for all child rearing duties
shortly after Heather was born Fred was caught stealing car tires and a vehicle tax disk he pleaded guilty in court
saying he committed the crimes to support his children after his estranged wife deserted them
given his history of offending the court viewed Fred's excuse with a degree of skepticism
he was sentenced to 10 months in prison months after Bill lets disowned his daughter he put his feelings aside and
visited rose with his wife Daisy Rose was noticeably thin unkent and a living in squalor
her home was scattered with a rubbish dirty nappies and used dishes a layer of dirt had formed across the
floor that baby Heather crawled across Rose herself had few possessions and hardly any furniture
her eyes were red as though she'd been crying moments prior she didn't tell her parents why she was
sad but admitted that she'd hit Charmaine for wetting the bed with Fred Behind Bars Rose spiraled
Charmaine and Anna Marie offered her no love or respect like she had in the past Rose relied on
anger bullying and violence to assert her Authority at her worst she would go into a
blinding rage during which her face turned blank and froth appeared in her mouth
anything could trigger this reaction from a misplaced tea towel to the way potatoes were mashed
Rose grabbed Whatever item she could from brooms to knives and used it to strike the girls
when she had these mental blackouts it almost seemed like she didn't know what she was doing
once they were over she would sometimes tell the girls it was their [ __ ] fault
other times she would wordlessly carry on with what she was doing as if nothing had happened
[Music] to avoid Rose's Fury Anna Marie laid low and tried to be compliant but strong-willed Charmaine faced Rose's
brutality head on there were only 10 years between her and Rose this coupled with Rose's intellectual
immaturity meant Charmaine didn't see her as an authority figure no matter how hard Rose tried Charmaine
never gave in or showed fear Anna Marie later said it was in charmaine's nature to rebel
and part of her stoic character was to accept her punishment a friend of charmaine's once botched
into the West home to find Charmaine standing on a chair her hands tied behind her back with a leather belt
Rose stood before her holding a wooden spoon it was clear Rose had been beating Charmaine with the spoon
Anna Marie was nearby with a blank expression on her face the friend told her mother what she'd
seen who in turn asked Rose about it Rose was blunt and Unapologetic she was punishing Charmaine for Naughty Behavior
Rose said she was waiting for charmaine's biological mother to come and get her as she had had enough of the
child and was quote at the end of her tether Rose wrote to Fred in prison saying
I think Charmaine likes to be handled rough but darling why do I have to be the one to do it
I would keep her for her own sake if it wasn't for the rest of the children you can see Charmaine coming out in Anna
Marie now and I hate it Rose expressed her resolve to let God guide her actions from there on out
at the top of the letter she drew a heart and wrote from now until forever she signed it you're ever worshiping
wife likewise Fred signed his letters to Rose with your ever worshiping husband he only ever had one rule for her to
follow quote make sure you hit them where it doesn't show [Music] on Sunday March 28 1971 six days after
Charmaine West turned to eight years old she arrived at the gloucestershire Royal
hospital with rose Charmaine had a nasty puncture on her left ankle that resembled a knife wound
despite the injury being sustained at home the hospital didn't liaise with social services and the matter was never
investigated on a separate occasion Anna Marie received stitches for a head wound which
hospital staff were told was the result of a four in reality Rose had smashed a plate on
Anna Marie's head because she took too long to wash up after breakfast Rosa's violence was growing boundless
and indiscriminate and nothing was being done to protect their children Rose would restrain the girls often
while they were naked with items ranging from strips of sheep to plastic washing
line being tied up was generally a relief for the girls as it was a rare moment they
were left alone one day Anna Marie entered a room to find Charmaine naked and bound to a bed
lying on a waterproof sheet Charmaine looked frightened and for the first time ever she looked as though she
had been crying days before Fred was due to be released from prison Anna Marie went to school
alone she returned home to find that Charmaine wasn't there Rose explained that Charmaine had gone
to live with the girl's biological mother Reena she said Charmaine and Rina were headed
for the City of Bristol almost 40 miles Southwest Anna Marie had learned not to question
her stepmother plus Charmaine had privately confided to her that she hoped that their mother
would rescue her Anna Marie was glad her sister's wish had apparently been fulfilled
speaking of charmaine's absence to a neighbor Rose said and bloody good riddance
[Music] when others quizzed Rose about charmaine's whereabouts she repeated the Bristol story
the government wasn't obligated to follow up on these claims and charmaine's school documentation was
simply marked moved away Anna Marie found herself missing her older half-sister although they had been different and
were at times pitted against each other Anna Marie considered Charmaine her only
Ally one wintry night when Fred and Rose weren't around Anna Marie and Charmaine
had huddled together under the same blanket they'd been frightened by the howling
wind that rattled the window above the bed [Music] Charmaine told Anna Marie the witches are trying to get in they're
going to get us reflecting on that memory later Anna Marie said I can see us now in that bare little
room two wide-eyed mites frightened of the witches outside and to not realizing evil was already in the house sleeping
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deliver quality content Fred West was released from prison in late June 1971 after having served just
under seven months of his 10-month sentence soon after this Rose appeared on her
father's doorstep with baby Heather in her arms she said she was done with Fred and
wanted to come home later that day Fred arrived at the let's house saying come on Rosie you know what we've got
between us he gave her 10 minutes to return to him otherwise he threatened to find another
woman to share his bed with Rose faced her parents you don't know him she said there's nothing he wouldn't do
even murder Rose then left with Fred [Music] although Bill and her Daisy let's agreed
that Rosa's comment was strange they knew she was highly strung ultimately they dismissed it as an
offhand remark in August of that year 27 year old Rena West arrived at her in-laws Farm in much
Markle Charmaine was not with her she wanted to speak with Fred's father Walter West although she didn't explain
why it was an odd request as she didn't know him very well Walter was in the fields bringing in
corn so Raina headed out to see him it's unknown what exactly they discussed shortly afterwards Rina paid Fred a
visit in person he took her to a pub and proceeded to get her extremely drunk after that Rena West wasn't seen again
given that Reina had lived a relatively transient lifestyle and was incarcerated
for sex work in the past nobody reported her as missing she was rarely spoken about again in the
west household Anna Marie was under strict instruction to never mention her mother's name as it
might upset Rose Fred reassured Anna Marie you're all right you've got your dad your dad loves you
[Music] Elizabeth the juice lived next door to the West's Residence at 25 Midland Road
like rose she was a young mother with a baby one day Elizabeth was struggling to push
her baby's pram up the steps to her flat when Fred West appeared and offered to help he seemed friendly and asked a lot
of questions about Elizabeth's family she explained that her husband was hundreds of miles away in Malta and she
had few relatives in the area soon Elizabeth had befriended Fred and Rose and came to rely on them to curb
her loneliness she visited their home almost the daily sometimes Fred was gone at night
he once told Elizabeth it was because he wanted to see what he could find to bring home
Elizabeth didn't think much of the remark one evening she agreed to babysit Fred
and Rose's children while they went out for the night Elizabeth had noticed the West girls
were badly neglected Heather was often left in soiled nappies Fred and Rose didn't return until the
early hours far later than expected when Elizabeth asked where they'd been Fred said they had driven the highways
all the way into London it was a six-hour round trip they had been looking for young girls on
route to the city Fred suspected these girls would be runaways desperate for money and might
be virgins who he could force into sex work he'd brought along Rose who was aware of
his intentions Fred believed girls would be more inclined to get in his car if one was
already inside Elizabeth the juice couldn't believe what she was being told because Fred was always laughing and
joking she suspected he was making it up to get a reaction months later Elizabeth found out Rose
was a sex worker at Fred's behest Rose also revealed that Fred inconspicuously watched her with clients
threw a hole in the wall and in time Elizabeth realized Fred was trying to seduce her
he didn't hide his intentions from Rose who actually encouraged him Elizabeth knew then that the pair were
unconventionally close and hid nothing from one another [Music] Elizabeth's husband finally returned
from overseas this made Fred angry as she hadn't yet given in to his advances during one visit he snapped a pair of
handcuffs on Elizabeth yelling now I [ __ ] got you Rose intervened pulled Fred away and
freed her neighbor not long afterwards Elizabeth returned to the West home and drank a cup of tea
she was offered soon she felt drowsy the next thing she remembered was waking up in bed with Fred and Rose all of them
were naked Elizabeth was told that Fred had raped her while she was unconscious she was then dressed and sent home
in January 1972 Fred and Rose tied the knot he was 30 years old she was 18 and pregnant with their second child
like Fred's first wedding it was a secretive ceremony held at a registry office this time no one else was invited
Fred listed himself as a bachelor on the marriage certificate even though he had
an officially divorced Arena as Mr and Mrs West Fred and Rose looked for a larger home where they could raise
their family they sort of Fixer-Upper that Fred could renovate and modify so that Rose could
also conduct her sex work there they found the perfect place just a few yards from their current residence in
Gloucester on a side road across from the adjacent Parklands 25 Cromwell Street [Music]
sixteen-year-old Caroline Owens stood alone by a grassy field opposite a pub in the town of Tewkesbury situated about
10 miles from Gloucester it was a cold September night in 1972 and Caroline was trying to hitch a ride
home she had hitchhiked successfully from the same spot in the past a lot of young women she knew did it
hitchhiking was an easy way to travel when none of them drove but Caroline was mindful of potential dangers and always
took precautions [Music] as Caroline waited a gray-colored two-door Ford popular passed by
minutes later the gray car returned and rolled to a stop before her there were two people inside
thinking they were both men Caroline felt slightly uneasy but when the passenger window rolled
down she was relieved to see a man and a woman Inside the woman's presence eased Caroline's
concerns and when she offered Carolina lift the teenager gladly scrambled into the back seat
the couple introduced themselves as Fred and Rose West while Rose was only a year or two older
than Caroline Fred looked old enough to be her father she was surprised to learn that the pair
were married quote I felt Rose could have done a lot better for herself but they seemed happy and
Fred was quite Charming in a roguish kind of way [Music] throughout the journey the West's
quizzed Caroline about her life she spoke of her crowded home where she lived with her mother stepfather and
seven siblings her relationship with her stepfather was Rocky as he was abusive at times
Caroline was looking for a place of her own having left school at 15 her options
were limited but she hoped a decent job would come her way Fred and Rose exchanged a look then said
they were looking for a live-in nanny to help out with housework and child care Rose had recently given birth to a baby
girl named May the couple also had two other daughters a toddler named Heather and
eight-year-old Anna Marie the West could pay Caroline three pounds a week plus free board
as Caroline had been thinking about becoming a nanny the job sounded perfect she just needed to check with her mother
first and Rose met with Caroline's mother to ease any concerns Fred did most of the talking explaining
that he worked all hours and that's why Rose needed help around the house he promised to keep a fatherly eye on
Caroline stating that she would be all right living with them Caroline accepted the job
the West's lived just south of gloucester's city center Cromwell Street was lined with tall
neglected Terrace homes that were crammed together wall to wall their front Gardens were either
overgrown and strewn with rubbish or sealed up and repurposed into parking spaces
petty crime was common with police sirens forming the soundtrack to Everyday Life
residents mostly kept to themselves to avoid trouble eliminating any sense of community
but the neighborhood's cheaper ants and property prices Drew in young working-class families like the wests
who had moved in around nine months earlier when Caroline Owens arrived at 25 Cromwell Street she was disappointed
the house was cluttered and dated and in poor condition despite being a spacious multi-level
home the West's primarily lived downstairs they had turned the upstairs rooms into
a bedside flat to help pay off their seven thousand pound mortgage meanwhile the seller below was always
locked to Caroline's dismay she was made to share a bedroom with the West's oldest
daughter Anna Marie while she hadn't received the personal space she desired Caroline did find Anna
Marie cute and affectionate yet whenever Fred or Rose were around Anna Marie withdrew
the little girl always did what she was told and spoke in a murmur Caroline Owens found it difficult to
befriend Rose West despite the pair being so close in age Caroline was a typical teenager she
traveled partied listened to pop music and had boyfriends in contrast Rose was a housewife raising
several children with no social life Caroline followed the latest fashions while Rose dressed in a Dowdy
middle-aged Style she kept her dark hair short and wore a large thick rimmed spectacles that aged
her significantly the way she aimed to please her husband also seemed old-fashioned
while Fred was physically affectionate with rose to the point of making Caroline uncomfortable he would just as
easily wind her up cow was his nickname for her if she didn't do what he wanted he
called her a bad wife whenever Caroline stood up for Rose Fred told her to mind her own business
for the most part Rose took what Fred dished out but sometimes Fred riled her up so badly
that she snapped of the pair Rose was more likely to lash out violently despite the occasional Tiff Rose's
dedication to Fred was a full-time job she was eager and willing to submit to his control
she gave Caroline advice telling her how important it was to give a man a good meal after A Hard Day's Work
[Music] Caroline didn't know what Rose saw in Fred she found him highly unlikable
he spent most of the day at work in a factory but when he was home he talked about sex incessantly
he had no inhibitions and was constantly joking about people's genitals As Time wore on he became even more
crude and disturbing he bragged about operating on women to give them more pleasure from sex
once he told Caroline I've performed abortions on Girls before and they turn around and they're so
grateful that they just have sex with me straight after unimpressed Caroline thought Fred was
being facetious using his Brash know-it-all attitude to mask his inadequacies she pitied him and also found herself
dreading their conversations then one day Fred utterly repulsed Caroline after revealing that his
eight-year-old daughter Anna Marie had already lost her virginity upon seeing Caroline's appalled reaction
Fred quickly backtracked it was an accident he clarified the result of Anna Marie sitting down on
her bicycle without realizing the seat had come off unconvinced Caroline suspected abuse was
taking place at Cromwell Street she notified the authorities but never received a response
[Music] at any given time there could be upwards of 30 people at the West's home with a
steady flow of new faces coming and going at all hours The Lodges upstairs were either on low
incomes or welfare and were mostly delinquent transient or vulnerable youth with nowhere else to go
they never stuck around along and were quickly replaced Rose also had dozens of men who came to
visit they rang a second special doorbell to alert her to their arrival Rose told Caroline she was a masseuse
and these were her clients she conducted her work from a room at the front of the house known as Rose's
room it was kept locked and Caroline never went in at night the West sometimes hosted
impromptu parties with girls as young as 14 in attendance mattresses were laid out across the
floors for guests to crash on drugs alcohol and sex were all readily available so lodges and partygoers Fred West was a
broad-minded man with a free and easy attitude towards sex he encouraged his wife to sleep with
other men and women and she left the door open so Fred could watch for Rose sex was a performance for her
husband's enjoyment Fred urged her to be loud if Rose was with anyone while Fred was
at work she had to give him all the sort of details when he returned any concerns that Fred might have an
adverse reaction to his wife's infidelity were raised by the big approving grin he gave her lovers
Caroline Owens wanted nothing to do with any of it at one point Fred and Rose put so much
pressure onto Caroline to join their quote sex circle that she was reduced to tears
it became clear that Rose was sexually attracted to Caroline but the feeling wasn't Mutual
Rose would stroke Caroline's hair touch her legs and make personal comments about her
there were no locks on any of the bathroom doors and Rose barged in on Caroline whenever she was bathing
between threads distasteful conversations and Roses unwanted advances Caroline reached a Breaking
Point after only six weeks of being the West's Nanny she quit a month later on Wednesday December 6
1972 Caroline was back in Tewksbury visiting her boyfriend that evening she was walking along
Barton Street in the Town Center when she saw a familiar gray-colored Ford popular drive past
Fred West was behind to the wheel and Rose was sitting beside him Caroline suspected the couple were out
cruising and didn't think they had seen her at 10 30 PM she was waiting at her usual
hitchhiking spot for a ride home suddenly Fred and Rose West pulled up alongside her
Rose got out of the car and told Caroline we really missed you the children really
missed you from behind the wheel Fred added I'm sorry you left on bad feelings I'm
sorry we had a row although Caroline had no intentions of befriending the couple again she
accepted their offer of a ride home Rose said she wanted to have a girls chat and climbed into the back seat with
Caroline the conversation started normally but as they drove on things took a turn
Fred and Rose began talking about sex once again despite Caroline's obvious discomfort
the couple persisted Rose slung an arm around Caroline and smiled at her in a manner that Caroline
described as maniacal she then started fondling Caroline as Fred watched through the rearview mirror
egging her on Rose cackled as she tried to kiss Caroline who wrestled her away it then dawned on Caroline that she
wasn't being driven towards her home Fred brought his car to a stop on a grass Verge against the wooden gate
overlooking a muddy field Rose continued to grope Caroline who kept pushing her away in increasing
panic Rose then looked at Caroline with a nasty expression Fred turned to the pair in the back seat
and called Caroline a [ __ ] he reached over and punched her head several times causing her to black out
when Caroline regained Consciousness she was still in the West's car her hands were tired behind her back
with her scarf Rose was holding her down as Fred wound Brown adhesive tape around Caroline's
face to cover her eyes ears and mouth the couple laughed as they threatened Caroline and told her to shut up
Fred then got back behind to the wheel and continued driving while Rose sat on top of Caroline to keep her pinned down
and out of sight Caroline wept as she struggled to breathe through her nose car finally stopped outside 25 Cromwell
Street Caroline was forcibly let inside the house and into a room that she'd never
been in before Rose's room it contained a sofa a double bed and a mattress on the floor
Fred produced a knife and held it to Caroline's face he ordered her to keep quiet
if she was good he said he would remove the tape he used the knife to cut the tape around
Caroline's face in the process he nicked Caroline's skin Fred apologized Rose gave Caroline a cup of tea which
made her woozy Fred and Rose then stripped Caroline naked once again she was restrained
blindfolded and gagged Fred then baked Caroline's genitals with a belt which delighted Rose
he then stood back and took pleasure in watching his young wife sexually assault
Caroline before joining in himself in addition to being raped Caroline endured what she described as a
gynecological examination afterwards Rose and Fred fell asleep Caroline quietly maneuvered herself to
the window outside Cromwell Street was dark and quiet but with her arms still tied behind her
back Caroline was unable to open the window at around 6am there was a knock at the
West's front door Fred addressed and left the room to greet the visitor Caroline heard the person approach
it was a man she yelled out to alert him of her captivity prompting Rose to grab a
pillow and smother Caroline's face on the verge of losing Consciousness Caroline stopped fighting and to play
dead certain that Rose was trying to kill her when the pillow was removed Caroline
came face to face with an infuriated Fred the visitor had left and Fred snarled at
Caroline I'll keep you in the cellar and to let my friends have you and when we're
finished we'll kill you and bury you under the paving stones of Gloucester there are hundreds of girls there
the police haven't found them and they won't find you foreign left the room to check on the children
leaving Fred and Caroline Alone Together Fred then raped Caroline it lasted barely a minute before Fred
with the Drew prematurely he begged Caroline not to tell Rose as she would be angry at him
he told her that it was Rose's idea that they quote get her he said Caroline was there for Rose's
pleasure not his adding if you promise not to tell anybody what happened and come back I know what will
make rose happy Caroline could see that Fred was crying he asked her to forgive them and resume
working as their nanny convinced that the couple would kill her if she declined Caroline pretended to
agree to Fred's offer she promised not to tell anyone what had happened and would return to the house
for more Caroline spent the rest of the morning helping the West she cleaned the house played with the
children and took several baths at Fred's insistence Caroline then accompanied the family to
the laundromat Fred couldn't find a parking spot so he let Rose Caroline and the children out
as he drove onwards Caroline realized this was her chance to escape she told Rose she had to go home to
collect her belongings but would be back shortly Caroline then walked off not daring to
look back in case Fred passed by Caroline returned home and spent days in bed in a depressive state
she didn't think anyone would believe what she'd been through and if they did she worried that she'd be blamed for
accepting a lift from them in the first place when her mother noticed the bruising on
Caroline's face Caroline refused to tell the truth she knew the descriptions of her ordeal
would upset her mum but in time she eventually opened up about what Fred and Rose West had done
the police were notified and Fred was arrested he denied assaulting Caroline claiming
the sex had been consensual he said that he kicked Caroline out afterwards because he no longer wanted
her in his house and that she was making up the rape accusation to get back at them
detectives visited 25 Cromwell Street where they were greeted by a belligerent Rose West
they asked if the accusations made against her by Caroline Owens were true Rose retorted
and don't be [ __ ] daft what do you think I am when asked if they could carry out a
search Rose responded please your bloody self [Music] inside Fred's Ford popular detectives
found a button that had come off Caroline Owen's code inside the house was a partially used
roll of brown adhesive tape Rose was arrested but was reluctant to talk explaining that her husband had
warned her not to say a thing when she too eventually admitted to performing sex acts with Caroline she
denied they were forced [Music] investigators informed Caroline Owens that if the rape case proceeded to trial
she would be cross-examined in the witness box the thought terrified Caroline when she had been questioned in the
aftermath of her assault a police officer asked you were no innocent you were into this
you just complained you like your sex don't you don't tell me you weren't loving it
she suspected that the authorities viewed her as a quote [ __ ] and she feared how she would be treated in court
in front of her family and the public deciding she couldn't cope with it Caroline elected not to pursue the rape
charge instead Fred and Rose agreed to plead guilty to the Lesser offense of indecent
assault causing actual bodily harm their case went Accord in January 1973 at 31 years of age Fred was well
accustomed to the legal system but for 19 year old Rose this was the first Mark against her name
the West's defense worked to undermine Caroline calling her a friend of the couple they
suggested she had passively cooperated in everything that happened to her they claimed that the door to the room
where Caroline was kept was unlocked and that she'd made no attempt to call for help or get away
admitting that Fred had a knife they said he only intended to use it to cut the tape from Caroline's mouth and she
was wrong to perceive it as a weapon [Music] the wests were portrayed as a sympathetic couple with several children
to care for they indicated that Rose was seeking psychiatric treatment for her lesbian
Tendencies which wasn't true despite Fred West having a criminal history that included allegedly raping
his sister the magistrates ultimately decided that his previous offenses were irrelevant to the Caroline Owens case
they felt Fred was a docile man who did not look capable of violence the police who handled his arrest agreed
as for Rose she had no history of offending it was also revealed that she was pregnant with her third child
Upon returning to court the magistrates announced to the wests we do not think that sending you to
prison will do you any good both Fred and Rose were fined just 50 pounds each and advised to receive
psychiatric help neither did Caroline Owens was bitterly disappointed saying it felt like they'd got away with it it
made me feel like I wasn't worth anything she occasionally spotted the West surround Gloucester carrying on their
lives with their children in tow meanwhile Caroline required medication and struggled to trust others especially
women she later attempted to take her own life then there were the nightmares she was plagued by visions of being
buried under the pavement of gloucester's streets she screamed and clawed upwards
desperately trying to alert passers by above but they continued on unable to hear
oblivious to the fact that Caroline lay hidden beneath the slabs below their feet
to be continued next week [Music] [Music] [Music]

Case 235: House of Horrors (Part 1)

*** Warning: This case involves child victims *** [Part 1 of 3] In early 1969, 15-year-old Rose Letts was waiting alone at a bus stop in the English town of Cheltenham when she was approached by a much older man. 27-year-old Fred West was poorly dressed, dirty, and had a mouthful of green, chipped teeth from years of neglect. While Rose found Fred repulsive, something about him excited her.

From this chance encounter, the pair initiated an intense relationship that culminated in their marriage three years later. Mr and Mrs West then settled into their ideal family home in the city of Gloucester - 25 Cromwell Street.

CREDITS

Narration – Anonymous Host Research & writing – Milly Raso Creative direction – Milly Raso Production and music – Mike Migas Music – Andrew D.B. Joslyn

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RESOURCES

For all credits and sources, please visit https://casefilepodcast.com/case-235-house-of-horrors-part-1

Brief Summary

Fred West's abusive childhood and relationships lead to his violent behavior and the disappearance of women connected to him.

Key points

A Heartfelt Promise. A touching birthday message filled with love and commitment. "I will give it to you, my darling."
Fred's Troubling Confessions. Fred casually admits to a history of abuse, questioning its normalcy. "He thought this was normal, asking, 'Well, doesn't everyone do it?'"
Escalating Violence. Fred's abusive behavior towards Rina intensifies, leading to serious consequences. "He lashed out at Rina with the John later saying, 'Rina had bruises everywhere.'"
Fred's Dark Descent. Fred's behavior changed drastically after Anna vanished, leading to a more isolated life.
Rose's Troubling Behavior. Rose began to exhibit unusual sexual behaviors, flaunting them in her household.
Fred's Manipulative Charm. Fred West's charm masked his true nature, deceiving those around him.

Episode highlights

Episode quotes

Fred had a natural charm and was a gifted smooth talker.

Describing Fred's personality.

7:29WatchFeb 4, 2023

Tension

75/ 100High tension

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