Frederick Walter Stephen West and his wife Rosemary West were a depraved couple who, together between 1967 and 1987, tortured, raped, and murdered at least 11 young women and girls. Many of these heinous acts occurred in the couple’s own homes; 25 Midland Road, followed by 25 Cromwell Street in Gloucester. The majority of the killings happened between May 1973 and August 1979 at their residence in 25 Cromwell Street.
Rosemary committed one additional murder while Fred was serving time in prison – the killing of his stepdaughter Charmaine, who was his first wife’s biological daughter. In 1994 they were apprehended and charged with their crimes – Rosemary West found guilty on 10 counts of murder and sentenced to life imprisonment; Fred West committed suicide while on remand 10 months later rather than face conviction for his vile acts.
The house at 25 Cromwell Street has since been demolished in 1996 with its space converted into a landscaped footpath connecting to St. Michael’s Square. The story of this horrific crime has recently been documented in a documentary, offering an account of the events leading up to their cruel reign of terror as well as how it all eventually came to an end. It is highly recommended that anyone interested in learning more about this depraved couple should watch this fascinating documentary to learn more about them and the history behind this case.
