I am having a hard time writing this article. It is always hard to find a balance between intellectual ideas and emotional reactions, so often they clash.
The victims of crime are always forward in my mind when I write, and I believe that their voices should always be heard and counted when they speak an opinion or comment on the crimes and criminals.
In the case of Fred and Rosemary West their most susceptible victims were their own children. What they made these children see, hear, do and know was beyond horrible.
Fred raped the girls as Rosemary held them down. The one daughter who mentioned it to a friend was killed and her brother was forced to help bury her in the yard.
The children knew of the other murders, one of which was one of Fred’s daughters from a previous relationship. Rosemary murdered her while Fred was in jail.
The kids were constant victims and pretty much prisoners in their own home by the people who were supposed to love them the most and protect them from as much as possible.
In 1976, the Wests enticed a young woman, designated as Miss A by the courts, from a home for wayward girls. At Cromwell Street, Miss A was led into a room with two naked girls who were prisoners there. She witnessed the torture of the two girls and was raped by Fred and sexually assaulted by Rose.
One of the girls that Miss A saw was probably Anna Marie, Fred’s daughter who was a constant target of the couple’s sexual sadism. As if Fred’s rape and torture of his daughter was not enough, he brought home his friends to have sex with her.
In November of 1978, Rose and Fred had yet another daughter who they named Louise, making a total of six children in the bizarre and unwholesome household. Fred also impregnated his daughter Anna Marie, but the pregnancy occurred in her fallopian tube and had to be terminated.
The children were aware of some of the goings on in the home. They knew that Rose was a prostitute and that Anna Marie was being raped by her father. When Anna Marie moved out to live with her boyfriend, Fred focused his sexual advances on Heather and Mae. Heather resisted her father and was beaten for it.
In July of 1983, Rose gave birth to another daughter who they named Lucyanna. She was half-black, like Tara and Rosemary Junior. Rose became increasingly irrational and beat the children without provocation.
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West’s sexual interest in his own daughters didn’t wane either, and when Anne-Marie moved out to live with her boyfriend, he switched his attentions to younger siblings, Heather and Mae. Heather resisted his attentions and, in 1986, committed the cardinal sin of telling a friend about the goings on in the house. The Wests responded by murdering and dismembering her, and burying her in the back garden of No 25, where son Stephen was forced to assist with digging the hole.
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In England they are about to release a docudrama about Fred West and his relationship with Janet Leach, a social worked to whom he confessed. It is called Appropriate Adult.
Producers have spent three years painstakingly researching the ‘docu-drama’ that focuses on the period between monster West’s arrest and his suicide in 1995.
The two-part show, which is due to be aired next month, tells the ”untold story of how Fred and Rosemary West were brought to justice”.
It also shows the role of Janet Leach, played by Emily Watson, who was installed as an ”appropriate adult” – who represent the interests of accused during police interview – to extract information on the killings.
Mrs Leach was a voluntary worker who listened to the horrific confessions in spring 1994. During her time as appropriate adult she listened to over 40 interviews and West refused to talk to anyone else when she was not present.
Executive producer Jeff Pope said: ”Our intention is to produce a sober and thought-provoking drama based on a true story.
”We have developed the script over the past three years and it provides a unique insight into the police investigation which led to the conviction of Fred and Rose West and the crucial role Janet Leach played as the ‘appropriate adult’.”
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One of Fred West’s daughters has come forward with her objections about the show. She has not seen it but she does not want it aired.
Anne-Marie Davies said the ITV programme ‘Appropriate Adult’ would ”open old wounds” and affect those who had lost their ”loved ones”.
She was raped and beaten as a child by her dad and attempted suicide by drowning in 1999 by throwing herself from a bridge in Gloucester, but was rescued.
Anne-Marie’s partner, who asked not to be named, spoke out as she was ”too upset” over news of the programme, which is due to be aired next month.
He said: ”We feel sorry for all the family members and people who have lost loved ones who will be affected by such programmes.
”When this rears its ugly head again it just opens old wounds and prevents those who suffered from being able to put it to bed.
”Sadly these programmes are more about making money than making a point and it has a detrimental effect on us.”
Appropriate Adult executive producer Jeff Pope said: ”Our intention is to produce a sober and thought-provoking drama based on a true story.
”We have developed the script over the past three years and it provides a unique insight into the police investigation which led to the arrest of Fred and Rose West and the crucial role Janet Leach played as the ‘Appropriate adult’.”
A spokeswoman for Gloucestershire Police said they had been consulted with by ITV over Appropriate Adult.
She said: ”We are assured that the producers are sensitive to the continued distress experienced by those who were both directly and indirectly affected by the horrific crimes committed by the Wests.”
Film director Derek Jones, who made a Channel Five documentary on Fred West in added: ”Anything that rakes up the story is going to be upsetting to the family (of West) and to the families of the victims – I completely understand that.”
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I understand the wish and want to sweep the past under a carpet. I know that with every mention of the crimes the victims have to relive some of the pain. This has to be horrible for them.
I also know that even if no one ever mentioned the crimes again they would still suffer. The memories would not erased by society not speaking of what happened. The pain and emotional scars would still creep into the daily lives of the victims.
I think that is important for people to remember. I think we all need to know that the tidy house next door might not be so bright inside. We need to learn to look for clues, for hints that there things wrong. We need to open the eyes of some to the fact that humans wear masks and if they do not look close enough they could be missing a chance to save a life, perhaps even their own.
As a society we need to recognize the fact that monsters do not have green skin and bolts in their necks.
Think what could have been if someone, a neighbor, a postal worker or dog walker had noticed something was amiss. Perhaps some of the horrors could have been prevented if the somebody rallied for the children, and victims, that were unable to speak for themselves. If someone knew what to look for, if someone felt that they could trust their feelings and speak out to the authorities. I know that even when things are said the authorities do not always listen, but it still gives a better chance than ignorance does. The more people who know, that watch, that speak out, the more that there is a chance things like this can be stopped. Not only in this case, but in so many others.
I am also against censorship even though that bares very little weight in this case.
I do think that this show and others about serial killers need to be shown. I hate the exploitative ones but they have a touch of truth and education in them. I do not know how profitable they are but I guess profits are expected. It would be nice if the people profiting would give something back to victim’s groups but I do not think that should be forced, just hoped for.
I wish that there was some way to protect the victims from the advertising and viewing of shows that depict their pain but that is not really possible. I guess all we can do is hope that she does not watch. That someone close advises that she not watch. That she protects herself and spends the nights that the show is on taking a bath, having a glass of wine and being with a loved one.
I know that it is so much easier for me to say than for her to do.
I wish her well and my heart goes out to her.
Original article about the docudrama.
Article about daughter slamming show.
Wikipedia article on Fred West
Biography Of Fred West
Real Life Monsters 