Warren Buckley
2011-05-11 21:33:32 UTC
Freemason Brother Frederick Walter Stephen 'Fred' West (29 September
1941 - 1 January 1995), was an English serial killer known to have been
in full-fellowship with at least one English Masonic lodge, the
Gloucestershire Round Table Lodge.
Between 1967 and 1987, Brother Fred West and his wife Rosemary tortured,
raped and murdered at least 12 young women and girls, many at the
couple's homes. The majority of the murders occurred between May 1973
and September 1979 at their home in Gloucester. Rosemary West also
murdered Brother Fred West's stepdaughter (his first wife's biological
daughter) Charmaine, while he was serving a prison sentence for theft.
Brother Fred West was born into a poor family of farm workers in
Bickerton Cottage, Much Marcle, Herefordshire, to Walter Stephen West (5
July 1914 - 28 March 1992) and Daisy Hannah Hill (1922-6 February 1968).
Brother Fred West was the second of their six children. Brother West
would later claim that his father had incestuous relationships with his
daughters. It has been suggested that incest was an accepted part of the
household, and that his father taught him bestiality from an early age.
Brother West recalled, in police interviews, that his father had said on
many occasions "Do what you want, just dont get caught doing it". It is
also alleged that his mother Daisy began sexually abusing him from the
age of 12.
At school, Brother Fred West showed an aptitude for woodwork and
artwork, but did not excel academically. Brother West left school at the
age of 15 in December 1956, two years later, in November 1958, he
suffered a fractured skull and a broken arm and leg in a motorcycle
accident. The accident put him into an eight-day coma. His family
reported that after the accident he became prone to sudden fits of rage.
Two years later, he was unconscious for 24 hours after hitting his head
in a fall from a fire escape.
At age 20, he was arrested for molesting a 13-year-old girl. Brother
Fred West was convicted, but escaped a sentence of imprisonment. His
family effectively disowned him thereafter.
Marriage to Rena Costello
In September 1962, the 21-year-old Brother Fred West became re-
acquainted with a former girlfriend, Catherine Costello, who was now
better known as Rena from her time working as a prostitute. Costello was
already pregnant by another man, and she and Brother Fred West married
on 17 November before moving to Coatbridge, Lanarkshire. Her daughter,
Charmaine Carol, was born on 22 February 1963. Costello and West claimed
they had adopted Charmaine, whose father was from Pakistan. In July 1964
Costello bore Brother Fred West a daughter named Anne Marie. During this
period in Coatbridge, Brother Fred West worked as an ice cream van
driver. On 4 November 1965, Brother Fred West ran over and killed a
four-year-old boy with his van.
The family, along with Isa McNeill who looked after the couple's
children and Costello's friend Anne McFall, moved into the Lakeside
caravan park in Bishop's Cleeve, Gloucestershire at the end of 1965 when
Brother Fred West feared for his safety following the ice cream van
incident. To escape from Brother Fred West's sadistic sexual demands,
Costello and McNeill moved to Scotland in 1966 while McFall, who had
become infatuated with Brother West, and the two children remained with
him. Costello continued to visit the children every few months. In
August 1967 McFall, who was eight months pregnant with Brother West's
child, vanished. McFall was never reported missing and her remains were
found in June 1994.
In September 1967, Costello returned to live with Brother Fred West, but
left again the following year, putting the children in Brother West's
care.
Marriage to Rosemary "Rose" Letts
While still married to Costello, 27-year-old Brother Fred West met his
next wife, Rosemary Letts, on 29 November 1968, on her 15th birthday. On
her 16th birthday she moved in with him and a few months later they
moved from the caravan to a two-story house in Midland Road, Gloucester.
On 17 October 1970, Rosemary gave birth to their daughter, Heather Anne.
Brother Fred West was imprisoned for theft on 4 December 1970 and
remained so until his release on 24 June 1971.
It is believed that Rosemary killed Charmaine (Brother Fred West's
stepdaughter from his first marriage) shortly before Brother West's
release in June 1971. According to Anne Marie, both sisters were subject
to frequent beatings, but Charmaine infuriated Rosemary by her refusal
to cry no matter how severe they got. Charmaine disappeared in mid June,
with Rosemary explaining Costello had called and taken her back to
Scotland. Costello turned up in late August to collect Charmaine, and
also disappeared.
On 29 January 1972, Brother Fred and Rosemary West married in
Gloucester, and on 1 June of that year, Rosemary gave birth to their
second daughter, Mae. Around this time Brother Fred West encouraged his
wife into prostitution. Rosemary eventually had seven children, of which
three were mixed race. Needing a bigger house, the family moved to 25
Cromwell St, where Brother Fred West converted the upper floor to bed
sits. "Rose's Room", the room Rosemary used for prostitution had
peepholes so he could watch and a red light outside the door for warning
the children not to enter when she was "busy". Like Brother Fred West,
Rosemary came from a family where incest was common; Rosemary's father,
Bill Letts, with Brother Fred's approval, would often visit their home
to have sex with Rosemary.
In October 1972 the Wests hired 17-year-old Caroline Roberts as the
children's nanny. She rejected Brother Fred and Rosemary's advances into
their "sex-circle" and left a few weeks later. On 6 December 1972 the
Wests invited her to their home, where they both raped her. Brother Fred
West allowed Roberts to leave the next day only after she promised she
would return as their nanny. Roberts reported the rape to police but
withdrew the accusation when the case came to court. The Wests pleaded
guilty to a reduced charge of indecent assault and were fined £50.
In early 1973, the Wests took eight-year-old Anne Marie to the cellar,
where they bound and gagged her before Brother Fred West raped her while
Rosemary watched.
In 1979 Anne Marie became pregnant by Brother Fred West, but the
pregnancy was terminated as it was ectopic. Unable to cope with her
father any longer, she left home; Brother Fred West now began abusing
Heather, who disappeared a few years later.
Investigation, arrest and conviction
In May 1992, Brother Fred West filmed himself raping one of his other
daughters, and twice again afterwards. She told friends at school what
had happened. On 4 August one of the friends told her mother and she
went to the police. On 6 August 1992, the police decided to investigate,
eventually leading to Brother Fred West being charged, with Rosemary as
an accomplice, with rape. She was also charged with child cruelty and
the remaining children were placed in foster care. The rape case against
the Wests collapsed when the two main witnesses declined to testify at
the court case on 7 June 1993. The police continued investigating the
disappearance of their daughter Heather. After taking statements from
social workers about a joke about "Heather being buried under the
patio" and the children themselves, they obtained a further search
warrant in February 1994, allowing them to excavate the garden in search
of Heather. They started searching the house and excavating the garden
on 24 February 1994.
After Brother Fred West's arrest the following day, the police uncovered
human bones. Brother Fred West confessed, retracted and then re-
confessed to the murder of his daughter, denying that Rosemary was
involved. Rosemary was not arrested until April 1994, initially on sex
offences but later charged with murder. Further bodies were found and,
on 4 March 1994, Brother West admitted that he had carried out nine more
murders, including those of his first wife and Ann McFall. The remains
of McFall and Costello were subsequently unearthed in fields near the
village of Kempley.
Brother Fred West and Rosemary West were brought before a magistrates'
court in Gloucester on 30 June 1994; he was charged with 11 murders and
she with 10. Immediately afterwards, Brother Fred West was re-arrested
on suspicion of murdering Ann McFall, whose body had been found on 7
June 1994. On the evening of 3 July 1994, he was charged with her
murder.
On 1 January 1995, Brother Fred West somehow manage to hang himself
while on suicide watch on remand in his cell at Winson Green Prison,
Birmingham. His funeral was held in Coventry on 29 March 1995. Brother
Fred West was cremated with only three people present.
The evidence against Rosemary was circumstantial; unlike her husband,
she did not confess. She was tried in October 1995 at Winchester Crown
Court, found guilty of all 10 murders and sentenced to life
imprisonment. The trial judge recommended that she should never be
released and 18 months later the then serving Home Secretary Jack Straw
agreed with this recommendation.
In October 1996, the Wests' house, along with the adjoining property,
was demolished and the site made into a pathway. Every brick was crushed
and every timber was burned to discourage souvenir hunters.
In a 1998 interview with Charlie Rose, English novelist Martin Amis
revealed that he was a cousin of the Wests' victim Lucy Partington, who
disappeared in 1973.
The victims
Charmaine West (born 22 February 1963): Killed in June 1971 by Rosemary
West while Brother Fred West was in prison. No motive has been put
forward.
Catherine Bernadette "Rena" West (born 14 April 1944): Killed August
1971. Rena had called to take Charmaine away with her and it is believed
Brother Fred West killed her to avoid an investigation into Charmaines
whereabouts.
Lynda Gough (born 1 May 1953): Killed April 1973. A lodger at 25
Cromwell St, Gough and Rosemary would share lovers. Following her
disappearance Goughs mother called to visit and Rosemary, wearing
Goughs clothes, told her she had moved in order to work in Weston-
super-Mare.
Carol Ann Cooper (born 10 April 1958): Killed November 1973. Cooper was
living in a childrens home in Worcester when she disappeared while
walking home from the cinema.
Lucy Katherine Partington (born 4 March 1952): Killed December 1973.
Spent Christmas with her family in Cheltenham and visited a friend, and
disappeared after leaving to catch a bus home. There is strong evidence
that she had been kept alive for at least several days. A week after she
disappeared, Brother Fred West went to a hospital in the early hours of
3 January 1974 to get a serious laceration stitched. A knife matching
the cut was found with Partington's body and police surmise he sustained
the injury while dismembering the body. Partington, a university
student, was the cousin of novelist Martin Amis.
Theresa Siegenthaler (born 27 November 1952): Killed in April 1974. A
student in South London who left to hitch-hike to Ireland and
disappeared.
Shirley Hubbard (born 26 June 1959): Killed November 1974. Left a work
experience course in Droitwich to return home but did not arrive. When
her remains were found her head was completely covered in tape with only
a three-inch rubber tube inserted to allow her to breathe.
Juanita Marion Mott (born 1 March 1957): Killed April 1975. A former
lodger at 25 Cromwell St, Mott was living with a friend of her mother's
in Newent when she disappeared.
Shirley Anne Robinson (born 8 October 1959): Killed May 1978. A lodger
at 25 Cromwell St, Robinson was a prostitute for the Wests. Disappeared
after becoming pregnant with Brother Fred Wests child.
Alison Chambers (born 8 September 1962): Killed August 1979. Last known
sexually-motivated killing.
Heather Ann West (born 17 October 1970) Killed June 1987. Heather became
the focus of Brother Fred Wests attentions after Anne Marie left home.
Brother Fred West claimed he had not meant to kill her but she had been
sneering at him and he "had to take the smirk off her face". Rosemary
told an inquiring neighbour the following day that she and Heather had
had a "hell of a row" so it is believed Rosemary may have initiated her
death. The Wests told their children Heather had left for a job in
Devon, but later changed the story to her having run off with a lesbian
lover when she failed to contact or visit them. Later still Brother Fred
would threaten the children that they would "end up under the patio like
Heather" if they misbehaved. Heather's body was found under the patio
that Brother Fred West had inexplicably built over the fishpond his son
Stephen had dug.
Their only known victim after 1979 was their daughter Heather, although
the police believe the couple murdered more. There were no known murders
in the years 1976-1977, 1980-1986 and 1988-1992. During questioning
after being arrested, Brother Fred West had confessed to murdering up to
30 people, but the police believed the pair may have killed only 13. As
well as the 12 confirmed they believe West also killed 15-year-old Mary
Bastholm in 1968, but to date no body has been found.
Brother Fred West's son, Stephen, has said he firmly believed the
missing Gloucester teenager was an early victim of his father, as Fred
West had reportedly boasted of committing Miss Bastholme's murder while
on remand in prison during 1994.
Although no forensic evidence linked Brother Fred West to the murder of
Anne McFall, the state of the body (missing finger and toe bones as was
the case with the other bodies) and the dimensions of the grave site
match aspects of West's modus operandi.
With thanks to Wikipedia.
1941 - 1 January 1995), was an English serial killer known to have been
in full-fellowship with at least one English Masonic lodge, the
Gloucestershire Round Table Lodge.
Between 1967 and 1987, Brother Fred West and his wife Rosemary tortured,
raped and murdered at least 12 young women and girls, many at the
couple's homes. The majority of the murders occurred between May 1973
and September 1979 at their home in Gloucester. Rosemary West also
murdered Brother Fred West's stepdaughter (his first wife's biological
daughter) Charmaine, while he was serving a prison sentence for theft.
Brother Fred West was born into a poor family of farm workers in
Bickerton Cottage, Much Marcle, Herefordshire, to Walter Stephen West (5
July 1914 - 28 March 1992) and Daisy Hannah Hill (1922-6 February 1968).
Brother Fred West was the second of their six children. Brother West
would later claim that his father had incestuous relationships with his
daughters. It has been suggested that incest was an accepted part of the
household, and that his father taught him bestiality from an early age.
Brother West recalled, in police interviews, that his father had said on
many occasions "Do what you want, just dont get caught doing it". It is
also alleged that his mother Daisy began sexually abusing him from the
age of 12.
At school, Brother Fred West showed an aptitude for woodwork and
artwork, but did not excel academically. Brother West left school at the
age of 15 in December 1956, two years later, in November 1958, he
suffered a fractured skull and a broken arm and leg in a motorcycle
accident. The accident put him into an eight-day coma. His family
reported that after the accident he became prone to sudden fits of rage.
Two years later, he was unconscious for 24 hours after hitting his head
in a fall from a fire escape.
At age 20, he was arrested for molesting a 13-year-old girl. Brother
Fred West was convicted, but escaped a sentence of imprisonment. His
family effectively disowned him thereafter.
Marriage to Rena Costello
In September 1962, the 21-year-old Brother Fred West became re-
acquainted with a former girlfriend, Catherine Costello, who was now
better known as Rena from her time working as a prostitute. Costello was
already pregnant by another man, and she and Brother Fred West married
on 17 November before moving to Coatbridge, Lanarkshire. Her daughter,
Charmaine Carol, was born on 22 February 1963. Costello and West claimed
they had adopted Charmaine, whose father was from Pakistan. In July 1964
Costello bore Brother Fred West a daughter named Anne Marie. During this
period in Coatbridge, Brother Fred West worked as an ice cream van
driver. On 4 November 1965, Brother Fred West ran over and killed a
four-year-old boy with his van.
The family, along with Isa McNeill who looked after the couple's
children and Costello's friend Anne McFall, moved into the Lakeside
caravan park in Bishop's Cleeve, Gloucestershire at the end of 1965 when
Brother Fred West feared for his safety following the ice cream van
incident. To escape from Brother Fred West's sadistic sexual demands,
Costello and McNeill moved to Scotland in 1966 while McFall, who had
become infatuated with Brother West, and the two children remained with
him. Costello continued to visit the children every few months. In
August 1967 McFall, who was eight months pregnant with Brother West's
child, vanished. McFall was never reported missing and her remains were
found in June 1994.
In September 1967, Costello returned to live with Brother Fred West, but
left again the following year, putting the children in Brother West's
care.
Marriage to Rosemary "Rose" Letts
While still married to Costello, 27-year-old Brother Fred West met his
next wife, Rosemary Letts, on 29 November 1968, on her 15th birthday. On
her 16th birthday she moved in with him and a few months later they
moved from the caravan to a two-story house in Midland Road, Gloucester.
On 17 October 1970, Rosemary gave birth to their daughter, Heather Anne.
Brother Fred West was imprisoned for theft on 4 December 1970 and
remained so until his release on 24 June 1971.
It is believed that Rosemary killed Charmaine (Brother Fred West's
stepdaughter from his first marriage) shortly before Brother West's
release in June 1971. According to Anne Marie, both sisters were subject
to frequent beatings, but Charmaine infuriated Rosemary by her refusal
to cry no matter how severe they got. Charmaine disappeared in mid June,
with Rosemary explaining Costello had called and taken her back to
Scotland. Costello turned up in late August to collect Charmaine, and
also disappeared.
On 29 January 1972, Brother Fred and Rosemary West married in
Gloucester, and on 1 June of that year, Rosemary gave birth to their
second daughter, Mae. Around this time Brother Fred West encouraged his
wife into prostitution. Rosemary eventually had seven children, of which
three were mixed race. Needing a bigger house, the family moved to 25
Cromwell St, where Brother Fred West converted the upper floor to bed
sits. "Rose's Room", the room Rosemary used for prostitution had
peepholes so he could watch and a red light outside the door for warning
the children not to enter when she was "busy". Like Brother Fred West,
Rosemary came from a family where incest was common; Rosemary's father,
Bill Letts, with Brother Fred's approval, would often visit their home
to have sex with Rosemary.
In October 1972 the Wests hired 17-year-old Caroline Roberts as the
children's nanny. She rejected Brother Fred and Rosemary's advances into
their "sex-circle" and left a few weeks later. On 6 December 1972 the
Wests invited her to their home, where they both raped her. Brother Fred
West allowed Roberts to leave the next day only after she promised she
would return as their nanny. Roberts reported the rape to police but
withdrew the accusation when the case came to court. The Wests pleaded
guilty to a reduced charge of indecent assault and were fined £50.
In early 1973, the Wests took eight-year-old Anne Marie to the cellar,
where they bound and gagged her before Brother Fred West raped her while
Rosemary watched.
In 1979 Anne Marie became pregnant by Brother Fred West, but the
pregnancy was terminated as it was ectopic. Unable to cope with her
father any longer, she left home; Brother Fred West now began abusing
Heather, who disappeared a few years later.
Investigation, arrest and conviction
In May 1992, Brother Fred West filmed himself raping one of his other
daughters, and twice again afterwards. She told friends at school what
had happened. On 4 August one of the friends told her mother and she
went to the police. On 6 August 1992, the police decided to investigate,
eventually leading to Brother Fred West being charged, with Rosemary as
an accomplice, with rape. She was also charged with child cruelty and
the remaining children were placed in foster care. The rape case against
the Wests collapsed when the two main witnesses declined to testify at
the court case on 7 June 1993. The police continued investigating the
disappearance of their daughter Heather. After taking statements from
social workers about a joke about "Heather being buried under the
patio" and the children themselves, they obtained a further search
warrant in February 1994, allowing them to excavate the garden in search
of Heather. They started searching the house and excavating the garden
on 24 February 1994.
After Brother Fred West's arrest the following day, the police uncovered
human bones. Brother Fred West confessed, retracted and then re-
confessed to the murder of his daughter, denying that Rosemary was
involved. Rosemary was not arrested until April 1994, initially on sex
offences but later charged with murder. Further bodies were found and,
on 4 March 1994, Brother West admitted that he had carried out nine more
murders, including those of his first wife and Ann McFall. The remains
of McFall and Costello were subsequently unearthed in fields near the
village of Kempley.
Brother Fred West and Rosemary West were brought before a magistrates'
court in Gloucester on 30 June 1994; he was charged with 11 murders and
she with 10. Immediately afterwards, Brother Fred West was re-arrested
on suspicion of murdering Ann McFall, whose body had been found on 7
June 1994. On the evening of 3 July 1994, he was charged with her
murder.
On 1 January 1995, Brother Fred West somehow manage to hang himself
while on suicide watch on remand in his cell at Winson Green Prison,
Birmingham. His funeral was held in Coventry on 29 March 1995. Brother
Fred West was cremated with only three people present.
The evidence against Rosemary was circumstantial; unlike her husband,
she did not confess. She was tried in October 1995 at Winchester Crown
Court, found guilty of all 10 murders and sentenced to life
imprisonment. The trial judge recommended that she should never be
released and 18 months later the then serving Home Secretary Jack Straw
agreed with this recommendation.
In October 1996, the Wests' house, along with the adjoining property,
was demolished and the site made into a pathway. Every brick was crushed
and every timber was burned to discourage souvenir hunters.
In a 1998 interview with Charlie Rose, English novelist Martin Amis
revealed that he was a cousin of the Wests' victim Lucy Partington, who
disappeared in 1973.
The victims
Charmaine West (born 22 February 1963): Killed in June 1971 by Rosemary
West while Brother Fred West was in prison. No motive has been put
forward.
Catherine Bernadette "Rena" West (born 14 April 1944): Killed August
1971. Rena had called to take Charmaine away with her and it is believed
Brother Fred West killed her to avoid an investigation into Charmaines
whereabouts.
Lynda Gough (born 1 May 1953): Killed April 1973. A lodger at 25
Cromwell St, Gough and Rosemary would share lovers. Following her
disappearance Goughs mother called to visit and Rosemary, wearing
Goughs clothes, told her she had moved in order to work in Weston-
super-Mare.
Carol Ann Cooper (born 10 April 1958): Killed November 1973. Cooper was
living in a childrens home in Worcester when she disappeared while
walking home from the cinema.
Lucy Katherine Partington (born 4 March 1952): Killed December 1973.
Spent Christmas with her family in Cheltenham and visited a friend, and
disappeared after leaving to catch a bus home. There is strong evidence
that she had been kept alive for at least several days. A week after she
disappeared, Brother Fred West went to a hospital in the early hours of
3 January 1974 to get a serious laceration stitched. A knife matching
the cut was found with Partington's body and police surmise he sustained
the injury while dismembering the body. Partington, a university
student, was the cousin of novelist Martin Amis.
Theresa Siegenthaler (born 27 November 1952): Killed in April 1974. A
student in South London who left to hitch-hike to Ireland and
disappeared.
Shirley Hubbard (born 26 June 1959): Killed November 1974. Left a work
experience course in Droitwich to return home but did not arrive. When
her remains were found her head was completely covered in tape with only
a three-inch rubber tube inserted to allow her to breathe.
Juanita Marion Mott (born 1 March 1957): Killed April 1975. A former
lodger at 25 Cromwell St, Mott was living with a friend of her mother's
in Newent when she disappeared.
Shirley Anne Robinson (born 8 October 1959): Killed May 1978. A lodger
at 25 Cromwell St, Robinson was a prostitute for the Wests. Disappeared
after becoming pregnant with Brother Fred Wests child.
Alison Chambers (born 8 September 1962): Killed August 1979. Last known
sexually-motivated killing.
Heather Ann West (born 17 October 1970) Killed June 1987. Heather became
the focus of Brother Fred Wests attentions after Anne Marie left home.
Brother Fred West claimed he had not meant to kill her but she had been
sneering at him and he "had to take the smirk off her face". Rosemary
told an inquiring neighbour the following day that she and Heather had
had a "hell of a row" so it is believed Rosemary may have initiated her
death. The Wests told their children Heather had left for a job in
Devon, but later changed the story to her having run off with a lesbian
lover when she failed to contact or visit them. Later still Brother Fred
would threaten the children that they would "end up under the patio like
Heather" if they misbehaved. Heather's body was found under the patio
that Brother Fred West had inexplicably built over the fishpond his son
Stephen had dug.
Their only known victim after 1979 was their daughter Heather, although
the police believe the couple murdered more. There were no known murders
in the years 1976-1977, 1980-1986 and 1988-1992. During questioning
after being arrested, Brother Fred West had confessed to murdering up to
30 people, but the police believed the pair may have killed only 13. As
well as the 12 confirmed they believe West also killed 15-year-old Mary
Bastholm in 1968, but to date no body has been found.
Brother Fred West's son, Stephen, has said he firmly believed the
missing Gloucester teenager was an early victim of his father, as Fred
West had reportedly boasted of committing Miss Bastholme's murder while
on remand in prison during 1994.
Although no forensic evidence linked Brother Fred West to the murder of
Anne McFall, the state of the body (missing finger and toe bones as was
the case with the other bodies) and the dimensions of the grave site
match aspects of West's modus operandi.
With thanks to Wikipedia.