Rose West, one of Britain's most notorious convicted female serial killers, is reportedly experiencing a significant decline in her health and now needs assistance to move around in prison.
West, 72, was sentenced to life imprisonment in 1995 for the murders of 10 girls and women. She committed the crimes alongside her husband, Fred West, at their home at 25 Cromwell Street in Gloucester.
She is currently held at HMP New Hall, near Wakefield in West Yorkshire. Despite previously facing disciplinary action for sexually assaulting a younger female prisoner, reports suggest she has regained access to certain privileges, including a television, DVDs and computer games. She is also said to receive £20 a week to spend in the prison canteen, reports the Chronicle.
Health Deterioration and Evacuation Plan
However, reports indicate that her physical condition has deteriorated to the point where prison authorities have introduced a Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan, known as a PEEP, to ensure she can be moved to safety during an emergency.
A source told The Sun that West was in a “really bad way and can now barely move”. The source also claimed that concerns about her declining health had become a topic of discussion among other prisoners and staff.
“...People have been talking about how West is on her last legs and does not have long left because of her health”, the source reportedly told the newspaper, according to the Express. “She cannot leave her wing and is also resigned to dying in jail.”
Safety Measures and Staff Assignments
The reported evacuation plan is designed to ensure West can be safely removed from the prison wing if a fire or another emergency occurs. Under the arrangements, staff would need to identify a suitable escape route and assign specific officers to help her leave the building. Equipment, including a wheelchair, would also need to be available if she were unable to move independently.
The source explained: “It means they have to plot a safe escape route and that particular staff are assigned to help her if she is in danger. They also have to have equipment on hand, like a wheelchair, which they would move her in if they had to.”
The reports have not specified the medical conditions behind West's reported deterioration, and the claims about her prognosis have not been independently confirmed.
Background and Victims
Fred West died by suicide in 1995, aged 53, while awaiting trial. Police subsequently uncovered the remains of several victims at the couple's property on Cromwell Street.
Among the victims associated with the couple were Lynda Gough, Carole Ann Cooper, Lucy Partington, Therese Siegenthaler, Shirley Hubbard, Juanita Mott, Shirley Anne Robinson and Alison Chambers.
Fred West was also responsible for the murders of Ann McFall, a former partner, and Catherine Costello, his first wife. The couple's daughter Heather was murdered in June 1987 at the age of 16. Her remains were buried beneath the patio of the family home following years of abuse.
Charmaine, Fred West's eight-year-old stepdaughter, was another of the couple's victims. The crimes led to a major police investigation, with the property at 25 Cromwell Street becoming central to the case. The house was subsequently demolished.
A Prison Service spokesperson told The Sun: “Rose West's crimes were horrific, and she will rightly spend the rest of her life behind bars.”
