.svg)
It has been 55 years since Fred and Rose West began a series of crimes that would later make them one of England’s most infamous serial killer couples.
Over more than two decades, the pair carried out prolonged sexual abuse and murder, ultimately taking the lives of at least 10 young women and girls — including two of their own daughters. To neighbors, they appeared to be an ordinary family. However, inside their home at 25 Cromwell Street in Gloucester, a pattern of horrific crimes was unfolding that would later become one of Britain’s most disturbing criminal cases.
Their crimes continued for years before finally coming to light, leaving Rose West still facing the consequences decades later.
The 2025 Netflix documentary Fred and Rose West: A British Horror Story revisited the case, detailing the years of abuse and killings, as well as the investigation that ultimately exposed the couple.
Early Relationship
Before becoming involved with Rose, Fred had been married to Catherine “Rena” Costello in 1962. She would later become one of his victims. Fred met Rose in Cheltenham when she was 15 and he was 27. Soon after, she began working as a nanny to his daughters. The couple married in 1972.
The Beginning of the Crimes
Fred had allegedly committed serious crimes before meeting Rose, including sexual offenses within his family and the murder of his first wife. After Rose entered his life, the abuse escalated, and the two acted together in a series of violent crimes.
Between 1973 and 1979, they were responsible for the murders of at least eight young women and girls, including Lynda Gough, Carole Ann Cooper, Lucy Partington, Therese Siegenthaler, Shirley Hubbard, Juanita Mott, Shirley Anne Robinson and Alison Chambers. Investigators believe there may have been more victims.
The couple targeted vulnerable young women, often offering them work as nannies before subjecting them to abuse and ultimately killing them. Authorities later discovered that several victims’ remains had been buried at their home.
Abuse Within the Family
Fred and Rose had 10 children. Many of them suffered prolonged abuse, and two daughters — Charmaine and Heather — were killed.
Credit: Courtesy of Netflix ©2025
Charmaine, Fred’s stepdaughter, was killed in 1971 while Fred was in prison. After his release, her body was buried at their home. Years later, in 1987, their daughter Heather was also killed after reportedly attempting to confide in friends about the abuse. She was buried beneath the patio at the house.
Despite numerous hospital visits involving the children over the years, no referral to social services was made.
Arrest and Investigation
The case began to unravel after Fred’s abuse shifted toward another daughter, Louise, who confided in a friend. The friend’s mother reported concerns to police anonymously. Investigators interviewed Louise and Anna Marie, and medical examinations confirmed abuse.
In 1994, Fred and Rose were arrested on charges including rape and child cruelty. As investigators searched the property, disturbing evidence emerged. Detective Constable Hazel Savage played a key role in securing a search warrant that led to the discovery of remains at the house.
Fred eventually confessed to Heather’s murder after evidence was uncovered.
Fred’s Death and Rose’s Conviction
Fred West was charged with 12 murders but died by suicide in prison on January 1, 1995, before his trial began.
Rose West was charged with 10 murders. Following a seven-week trial in November 1995, she was convicted on all counts and sentenced to life imprisonment without parole.
She is currently serving her sentence in prison in West Yorkshire. Over the years, she has maintained her innocence. An appeal she filed was denied, and she later withdrew a request for review. Reports indicate she has been moved between prisons for security reasons.
