Casefile True Crime - Case 235: House of Horrors (Part 1)

Episode Date: February 4, 2023

[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. --- Narration – Anonymous Host Research & writing – Milly Raso Creative direction – Milly Raso Production and music – Mike Migas and Andrew Joslyn This episode's sponsors: ShipStation – Try ShipStation FREE for 60 days with promo code ‘CASEFILE’ BetterHelp – Get 10% off your first month of professional counselling with a licensed therapist DoorDash – Get 50% off up to $20 value and free delivery on your first order with promo code ‘CASEFILEPOD’ Rocket Money – Find and cancel subscriptions you no longer use Hello Fresh – Use code ‘CASEFILE21’ for 21 free meals including FREE shipping *USA only* For all credits and sources please visit casefilepodcast.com/case-235-house-of-horrors-part-1

Our episodes deal with serious and often distressing incidents. If you feel at any time you need support, please contact your local Crisis Centre. For suggested phone numbers for confidential support, please see the show notes for this episode on your app or on our website. This episode contains graphic descriptions of child abuse. It won't be suitable for all listeners. 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. 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 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 Markle which was home to just a few hundred residents. There was no running water, electricity or gas. Some rationing coupled with Walter's meagre farm hand earnings meant the family relied on the land.

Much Markle's countryside was defined by acres of green pastures, fruit orchards and crop fields. The Wests 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 favourite.

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 was an averse to dolling 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 views and wasn't easily provoked. He was also sensitive.

After accidentally killing a bird with an air rifle, he showed genuine remorse. Fred's poor hygiene isolated him further from his peers. In time, his teeth grew discoloured and his dark curly hair became an unruly mass. 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 interest in 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 riling up other young men with his boorish behaviour. Whenever fights ensued, Fred stood back and let his younger brother John defend him. On his 17th birthday, Fred gifted himself a 125cc 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. A steel plate had been inserted in Fred's head to hold his shattered 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 limp. 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. 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 £4 plus costs. This was more than a week's worth of his wages, but Fred didn't seem to care. A few months later, 13-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. Fred was also a little bit worried about his brother's death. 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, 19-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 his 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 of free men. He didn't face any further disciplinary measures or monitoring. Over the following year, tensions between Fred and his parents cooled 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. During his late teens, Fred attended a dance where he met a 16-year-old Scottish girl named Catherine Costello. Better known as Rena, she was staying with relatives in the area.

Rena 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, Rena was also at risk of being manipulated. She wanted more out of life and hoped to make something of herself. Fred impressed Rena by exaggerating the story of his motorcycle accident. He said that he'd died on the operating table and when his body touched the morgue's cold marble slab, his heart miraculously restarted. Rena 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 Rena returned to Scotland. With Fred's family and court dramas behind him, he became reacquainted with Rena Costello. It had been two years since they had broken up and Rena 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 Rena to let him perform an abortion. Rena couldn't get the procedure done any other way as abortions were illegal at the time. Fred and Rena headed into nearby woodlands to carry out the operation but had to stop prematurely when he was caught in the act. Fred and Rena devised a new plan. They would get married and Fred would raise Rena'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 Rena. They relocated to Scotland and settled in a small flat in the inland town of Coakbridge near the city of Glasgow. It was where Rena 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 Rena, 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 Rena in tears. His pleasure was all that mattered to him. He veered into acts of sadism, hurting Rena for his own gratification. He sought to push her boundaries but Rena was frightened and wouldn't let him. In March 1963, Rena 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. Rena's family weren't happy that Charmaine appeared mixed race. Sensing Fred's family would react similarly, Fred and Rena told the Wests that Rena had miscarried their child. They had adopted a, quote, little colored girl as a replacement. Fred's dislike of Charmaine was clear from the outset. He appeared to resent having to raise another man's child. Sometimes he'd walk out on Rena 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. Rena 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 Rena with John later saying, Rena had bruises everywhere. It was sadism. One night, Rena and John were in a park together when Fred suddenly appeared from the darkness. He ordered Rena to go home then punched her. John hit Fred in retaliation who slashed John's stomach with a knife. John punched Fred again. When it was clear that John 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 Annamarie. 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 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. 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 the 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 Fred 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 Markle. Rena eventually joined him and they moved 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 Rena to retreat to Scotland whenever she needed space. In Scotland, Rena West was friends with a young woman named Issa McNeill. Issa had previously worked for the Wests as a full-time live-in nanny. Rena asked Issa to move to England and stay with the family once again. Issa 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 Issa shared a couch in the West's caravan. Unable to find work, the two women spent a lot of time with the Wests and witnessed Fred's abusive behavior firsthand. His moods were unpredictable. When happy, Fred got a kick out of being vulgar. At his worst, he'd attack Rena. Issa tried to protect her friend, but Fred threatened to kill Issa if she didn't get out of his way. Before he left for work each morning, Fred warned Rena not to go anywhere during the day. Issa believed Fred was paranoid that his wife was going to leave him.

One day, Rena reached out to her former boyfriend, John McLaughlin. He drove overnight from Scotland to help Rena and the others escape. He arrived at the St Hurst 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. Rena was adamant about leaving. She headed into the caravan to get her coat. Fred followed and slapped her several times. Rena went back outside. As she went to rescue her two children, Fred grabbed Charmaine. Rena 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 Rena, I'll kill you if you ever show your face again. As they drove off, Rena sobbed about having to leave her daughter's behind with Fred. While all this was happening, Anna McFall stood to one side, calmly watching the chaos unfold. Rena had urged her to come home. She said that she didn't want to leave him alone, but she wanted to leave him alone. calmly watching the chaos unfold. Rena 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 Rena and Dizer. 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. 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.

Reena West was miserable without her children. In 1966, she returned to England for her daughters. Reena successfully reclaimed Charmaine and Anna-Marie, but she wasn't done with Fred West. The two resumed their tumultuous relationship. Fred was still seeing 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 Reena, but he wouldn't go through with it. Then, in July 1967, just a few weeks before Anna-McFall 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 Anna's whereabouts. With Anna-McFall gone, Fred West's behaviour 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. Neighbours described him as strange and tense, as though he were in a dream world. Reena eventually moved back in with him, along with her two daughters. This time around, Fred seemed less jealous and controlling.

Although things were better overall, the couple continued to argue about finances. Fred began working as a labourer for a flower and animal feed manufacturer. As he worked the night shift, Reena 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 approved. Fred openly told wild, fabricated stories about his sexual history to anyone who'd 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 hospitalised 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 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 Gothrington, a small village north of the town. Fred was fired before settling into the role of delivery driver for a bakery in Gothrington, 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. Bill Letts 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 harboured 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 Letts became highly anxious, depressed, and unable to cope. She had hallmarks of postnatal depression, though diagnosis of this condition didn't exist at the time. Daisy soon developed a fear of leaving her house, known as agrophobia. She eventually had a complete mental breakdown. Her depression was considered so severe that doctors suggested a treatment called electroconvulsive therapy, or ACT. 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 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 Daisy's case as more serious than initially thought and prescribed another six rounds of ACT. 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 was science from early on that something was amiss. Roselettes 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 awake as she rhythmically hit her head against her cot. 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 the most basic teachings and was held back a year. While Bill Letts 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 levelled against him, words started circulating that Bill Letts 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 rumours, Bill constantly uprooted his family, leaving his wife and kids at the mercy of his unpredictable and brash decision-making. The Letts moved across the countryside before settling in Bishop's Cleave. Rose Letts 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 Letts household and 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. In 1969, Daisy Letts reached breaking point with her husband Bill. She moved out, taking the remaining children who still lived at home, including 15-year-old Rose.

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 the attention her older male customers gave her. It made her feel mature. She often went off with them, returning later with her clothes dishevelled. Other staff were fully aware of what must have taken place. Police questioned one 30-year-old man for initiating an illicit relationship with the underage Rose, but they never charged him. Daisy Letts settled her family on a chicken farm in the village of Tottington.

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 favourite 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 Letts home and spoke with Bill and Rose, but they were unable to identify the issue that had prompted Rose's complaint. 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 the 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 with older men 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 ripe smile. It exposed his teeth, chipped into green-colored from years of neglect. While Rose found the man 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 Clive, 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. At this point, Fred and Rena 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 girl, and he said they were a team. 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 Rose's home, a byproduct of Bill Letts'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. By now, Fred's interest in sex had reached extreme levels of sadism.

He derived pleasure from giving and receiving brutal, aggressive punishments. Rena 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 Rena, he pushed Rose into sex work. Knowing there was a market for young, seemingly virginal women, he wanted to exploit it. 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 Letts 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 Letts 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 Letts 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 did an owner 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. I love you, Fred, but if anything goes wrong, it will be the end of both of us for good. 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 Letts made good on his ultimatum. He officially disowned Rose.

Rose was tasked with looking after Charmaine and Annemarie while awaiting the arrival of her own child. Fred ordered the girls to call Rose mum, but neither of them wanted to. Annemarie later wrote in her book Out of the Shadows. In those days, I viewed Rose as little more than a school girl 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 Rena was effectively over. Fred and Rose relocated Charmaine and Annemarie to the small city of Gloucester in England's southwest.

They moved into one of many semi-detached 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 tyre 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 no such checks ever took place. 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 tyres and a vehicle tax disc. He placed a car on the ground floor of the house, and shortly after Heather was born, Fred was caught stealing car tyres and a vehicle tax disc. 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 Letts disowned his daughter, he put his feelings aside and visited Rose with his wife Daisy. Rose was noticeably thin, uncamped and living in squalor. Her home was scattered with 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 spiralled. 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 fucking fault. Other times, she would wordlessly carry on with what she was doing as if nothing had happened.

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 barged 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 behaviour. 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 worshipping wife. Likewise, Fred signed his letters to Rose with,

you're ever worshipping husband. He only ever had one rule for her to follow, quote, make sure you hit them where it doesn't show. 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 fall.

In reality, Rose had smashed a plate on Anna Marie's head because she took too long to wash up after breakfast. Rose's violence was growing boundless and indiscriminate, and nothing was being done to protect the children. Rose would restrain the girls, often while they were naked, with items ranging from strips of sheet 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, Rina. 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 their mother would rescue her. Anna Marie was glad her sister's wish had apparently been fulfilled. Speaking of Charmaine's absence to her neighbour, Rose said,

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. 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 not realising evil was already in the house, sleeping just down the hall. Fred West was released from prison in late June 1971, after having served just under seven months of his ten-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 Led's house, saying, Come on, Rosie, you know what we've got between us. He gave her ten 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. Although Bill and Daisy Letts agreed that Rose's comment was strange, they knew she was highly strong. Ultimately, they dismissed it as an off-hand remark.

In August of that year, 27-year-old Rena West arrived at her in-laws' farm in March 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 Rena headed out to see him. It's unknown what exactly they discussed. Shortly afterwards, Rena 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 Rena 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. Annamarie was under strict instruction to never mention her mother's name, as it might upset Rose. Fred reassured Annamarie, you're alright, you've got your dad. Your dad loves you. 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 daily. Sometimes, Fred was gone at night. He once told Elizabeth that 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 adduced 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 through 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. 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've fucking 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 rena. As Mr and Mrs West, Fred and Rose

looked for a larger home where they could raise their family. They sought a 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 16-year-old Caroline Owens stood alone by a grassy field opposite a pub in the town of Tuxbury, 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. As Caroline waited, a grey-coloured two-door Ford popular passed by. Minutes later, the grey 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 Caroline a 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. 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. Throughout the journey, the Wests 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 childcare. 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 Wests could pay Caroline £3 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. Fred 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 alright living with them. Caroline accepted the job. The Wests lived just south of Gloucester's city centre. 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 neighbourhood's cheaper rent 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 Wests primarily lived downstairs.

They had turned the upstairs rooms into a bed-sit flat to help pay off their 7,000 pound mortgage. Meanwhile, the cellar 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 travelled, 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 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. 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. Caroline didn't know what Rose saw in Fred. She found him highly unlikeable. 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 pitted him and also found herself dreading their conversations. Then one day, Fred utterly repulsed Caroline after revealing that his 8-year-old daughter, Annemarie, had already lost her virginity. Upon seeing Caroline's appalled reaction,

Fred quickly backtracked. It was an accident, he clarified. The result of Annemarie sitting down on her bicycle without realising the seat had come off. Unconvinced, Caroline suspected abuse was taking place at Cromwell Street. She notified the authorities, but never received a response. 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 lodgers 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 long 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 Wests 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 lodgers 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 sorted details when he returned. Any concerns that Fred might have an adverse reaction to his wife's infidelity were eased 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 Fred's distasteful conversations and Rose's unwanted advances, Caroline reached 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 Tuxbury visiting her boyfriend. That evening, she was walking along Barton Street in the town centre when she saw a familiar grey-coloured Ford Popular drive past. Fred West was behind the wheel, and Rose was sitting beside him. Caroline suspected the couple were out cruising and didn't think they had seen her.

At 10.30pm, 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 backseat 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 a 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 backseat and called Caroline a bitch. 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 tied 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 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. The car finally stopped outside 25 Cromwell Street. Caroline was forcibly led 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 beat 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 manoeuvred 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 6 a.m., 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 played 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 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. Rose 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 withdrew 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 it 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 Wests. 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 mom. 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'd 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, don't be fucking daft. What do you think I am? When asked if they could carry out a search, Rose responded, please your bloody self. Inside Fred's Ford Popular, detectives found a button that had come off Caroline Owens' 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.

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, slut 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 to court 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. The West's 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 West's, 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's around 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. you