{"id":4452,"date":"2021-09-15T19:11:31","date_gmt":"2021-09-15T17:11:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.radiotimes.com\/?p=891040"},"modified":"2021-09-15T19:28:26","modified_gmt":"2021-09-15T17:28:26","slug":"true-story-behind-fred-and-rose-wests-crimes-as-new-itv-documentary-with-trevor-mcdonald-airs","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/rss_feed\/true-story-behind-fred-and-rose-wests-crimes-as-new-itv-documentary-with-trevor-mcdonald-airs\/","title":{"rendered":"True story behind Fred and Rose West\u2019s crimes as new ITV documentary with Trevor McDonald airs"},"content":{"rendered":"

Trevor McDonald opens up the case again. <\/p>

By Grace Henry\n \t\t<\/p>

Published: Wednesday, 15 September 2021 at 12:00 am<\/p>

\n\n

ITV are looking back at two of Britain\u2019s most notorious criminals, husband and wife Fred and Rose West, in a brand new two-part documentary.<\/p>\n

Titled Fred and Rose West: Reopened and presented by Sir Trevor McDonald, the film will explore claims the Wests were responsible for many more murders than the 12 women and girls they are known to have killed.<\/p>\n

Fred West died by suicide before he was brought to trial, but his wife Rose was convicted of 10 murders in 1995. There has, however, always been a strong belief there are many more victims.<\/p>\n

This new series, shown on consecutive nights from Wednesday, 15th<\/sup> September, features former detective chief inspector Colin Sutton, investigative psychologist Donna Youngs, author and West expert Howard Sounes, and reporter Sir Trevor McDonald following up new leads to try to shed\u00a0 light on the true number of the Wests\u2019 victims and their identities.<\/p>\n

Who are Fred and Rose West and what did they do?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Rose, from Northam, Devon, was considered one of the most wicked women in Britain for the torture and murder of at least nine\u00a0young women between 1973 and 1987.<\/p>\n

Her husband, Frederick Walter Stephen West, who died by suicide in prison while awaiting trial in 1995, is believed to have collaborated with her on these crimes.<\/p>\n

The majority of these murders were committed at the couple\u2019s home at number 25, Cromwell Street, in Gloucester, which became known as the \u201cHouse of Horrors\u201d.<\/p>\n

Rose was also convicted for the murder of her eight-year-old stepdaughter, Charmaine, in 1971.<\/p>\n

When she was just a teenager, her parents separated, at the age of 16, she moved in with her father. Her father suffered from paranoid schizophrenia, was prone to extreme violence and repeatedly sexually abused her and her oldest sister.<\/p>\n

Rose was said to be fascinated by her developing body growing up and would deliberately parade naked around the house in the presence of her younger brother.<\/p>\n

Rose met Fred when she was just 15-years-old. He was 12 years her senior and had two young daughters \u2013 Charmaine and Anna Marie. Rose\u2019s parents disapproved of their relationship, but she defied, prompting them to visit Gloucestershire social services to explain that their 15-year-old daughter had a sexual relationship with an older man, and that they had heard rumours that she had begun to engage in prostitution at Fred\u2019s caravan.<\/p>\n

Rose was put into a home for troubled teenagers, but was released after her 16th birthday. Fred was riding out a 30-day sentence for theft and unpaid fines at the time. However, upon his release, Rose left her parents\u2019 home and moved in with him.<\/p>\n

In 1970, she was found to be pregnant and once again placed in a home. She was released upon the notion she\u2019d be having a termination, however, in October the same year, she gave birth to her and Fred\u2019s first child \u2013 a daughter they named Heather Ann.<\/p>\n

Shortly after, Fred was imprisoned for the theft of car tyres and a vehicle tax disc. As he served this six-and-a-half-month sentence, Rose, having just turned 17, looked after the three girls, with Charmaine and Anna Marie being told to refer to Rose as their mother.<\/p>\n

According to Anna Marie, she and Charmaine were frequently subjected to physical and emotional abuse throughout the time they lived under Rose\u2019s care.<\/p>\n

By 1983, Rose had given birth to eight children, at least three of whom were conceived by clients. Fred willingly accepted these children as his own, and falsely informed them the reason their skin was darker than that of their siblings was because his great-grandmother was a black woman.<\/p>\n

On 6 August 1992, Fred was arrested after being accused of raping one of his daughters three times, and Rose was arrested for child cruelty. This case against them collapsed on 7 June 1993 when their daughter refused to testify in court.<\/p>\n

All five of the Wests\u2019 younger children were removed from their custody to foster homes. This case brought to light the disappearance of Heather, who had not been seen since 1987 and triggered the major investigation that followed.<\/p>\n

Fred and Rose West timeline<\/strong><\/h2>\n