ROSE and Fred West are well known for being some of the worst criminals in British history – murdering tens of people in Gloucester, England.
The couple’s children were subjected to horrific abuse by their murderous parents, with one of them even being killed by the Wests.
Fred and Rose West’s sinister home life
Rose West was the mother of eight children, five of which were fathered by her criminal husband Fred.
She had three other children with men she had met through prostitution. Fred and Rose West tied the knot in 1972, when Fred was 28 years old and Rose was only 15.
Mr West had been married to another woman, Catherine ‘Rena’ Costello, who was later killed by the pair.
He also had a step-daughter, Catherine’s eldest child Charmaine, who was killed by Rose.
Tragically, Heather Ann – Rose and Fred West’s daughter – became the couple’s final murder victim in 1987.
Cops discovered the couple’s house of horrors after Heather vanished at the age of 16.
Fred West confessed to 30 killings when he was eventually questioned by the authorities.
Rose West was convicted of 10 killings and sentenced to ten life terms with a whole life order.
Her husband killed himself in prison, while awaiting trial.
Heather-Ann
Heather Ann was Fred and Rose West’s eldest child who faced horrific abuse for much of her life.
She was abused by her father and eventually murdered by her parents, after she said that she was “going to run away”.
The couple claimed that their daughter, Heather, had moved in with her girlfriend, but they would also frighten their other children by threatening that they would meet the same fate as Heather – buried under the patio – if they misbehaved.
Eventually, Fred West admitted to murdering his daughter.
Fred confessed to the police: “I used that to cut off her legs, and I can’t tell you how many times I’ve relived that moment since then. Then, I severed her head, placed her in a bin, closed the lid, and wheeled it to the far end of the garden behind the Wendy house.”
Anne Marie
Anne Marie was Fred’s daughter, from his first marriage with Rena.
Rose raised her after the murders of her mother and her sister.
At the age of eight, she was raped by Fred with her step-mum encouraging the horrific crime.
Her evil parents also forced her to work as a prostitute in the house at the age of just 13.
Stephen
Born in 1973, Stephen is the third child of Fred and Rose West.
Having escaped his parents’ home, he was jailed in 2002 for having sex with a 14-year-old girl.
The relationship was discovered after the girl became pregnant and Stephen took her to a clinic for an abortion.
Mae
Like her other sisters, Mae was sexually abused by her father and was subjected to physical abuse by her mother.
For decades, she thought her mother was innocent of the string of murders she was accused of.
However, she eventually wrote a book where she suggested that her parents may have even more victims who haven’t been discovered.
Tara
Tara was Rose’s daughter, who was fathered by one of her clients.
She has said that, unlike her siblings, she escaped abuse.
Tara felt that her mother “spoilt” her, because of her father being one of Rose West’s clients.
She said: “I realise now that Dad was only interested in his natural daughters. He thought they were his property. Because I wasn’t his [only] daughter, he left me alone.”
Louise
Louise was born in 1978, making her the youngest daughter that Fred and Rose West had together.
She was instrumental in bringing her parents to justice, after she told a friend about the horrific abuse that took place at home.
Her younger brother Barry was born two years after her.
Police finally caught up with the Wests’ crimes after Louise told a friend about things she had seen.
He revealed how, when he was just seven-years-old, he watched his mother “stamp” on his sister Heather’s head five times.
Sadly, he was found dead at a hostel in Maidstone, Kent in 2020.
It’s suspected he may have died of an overdose after fighting a lengthy battle with drug addiction and severe mental health issues as a result of the abuse he suffered from his parents growing up.
YOU’RE NOT ALONE
EVERY 90 minutes in the UK a life is lost – to suicide.
It doesn’t discriminate, touching the lives of people in every corner of society – from the homeless and unemployed to builders and doctors, reality stars and footballers.
It’s the biggest killer of people under the age of 35, more deadly than cancer and car crashes. And men are three times more likely to take their own life than women.
Yet, it’s rarely spoken of, a taboo that threatens to continue its deadly rampage unless we all stop and take notice, now.
That is why The Sun has launched the You’re Not Alone campaign. To remind anyone facing a tough time, grappling with mental illness or feeling like there’s nowhere left to turn, that there is hope.
To mark World Suicide Prevention Day, over the course of this week, we will tell you the stories of brave survivors, relatives left behind, heroic Good Samaritans – and share tips from mental health experts.
The aim is that by sharing practical advice, raising awareness and breaking down the barriers people face when talking about their mental health, we can all do our bit to help save lives.
Let’s all vow to ask for help when we need it, and listen out for others. You’re Not Alone.
For a list of support services available, please see the Where To Get Help box below.
Rosemary Junior and Lucyanna
Rose West had two other children, both of which she had with clients.
She is believed to share a father with her younger sister Lucyanna and Tara.
