Rose West's Quiet Prison Existence: Attenborough, Name Change and Isolation
Britain's most notorious female serial killer, Rose West, now spends her days in prison as a quiet recluse who watches David Attenborough documentaries and has abandoned her distinctive glasses, according to a former inmate. The 72-year-old, serving a whole-life sentence for her role in the torture and murder of at least ten young women, reportedly operates under a different name and keeps largely to herself.
Former Inmate's Revelations
Eleanor Brown, 26, who was jailed for three years in October 2024 for posting revenge porn images of her father's mistress, has shared insights from her time alongside West at HMP New Hall near Wakefield. Brown, who has since been released after serving half her sentence, described West as "absolutely lovely" and "really kind" in personal interactions, despite acknowledging the "absolutely horrendous" nature of her crimes.
"She doesn't call herself by Rose West anymore," Brown revealed in TikTok videos about her prison experience. "She's got a different name but she was just pleasant, she was just really pleasant."
A Changed Identity and Routine
It was previously revealed that West had changed her name to Jennifer Jones in an apparent attempt to distance herself from her infamous past. Brown confirmed that the killer no longer resembles her public image, having abandoned the distinctive glasses that once characterised her appearance.
"She doesn't really look any different - she's old, she didn't have the glasses," Brown explained. "Had you not known she was there you probably wouldn't have been like, 'oh my God that's who that is'."
The former inmate described West as someone who "just keeps herself to herself" and primarily discusses her interest in David Attenborough documentaries. "She says she likes David Attenborough, and that's it," Brown noted. "She's just an old woman, there's nothing exciting about her - you wouldn't think she was evil."
Life at HMP New Hall
West is among approximately 35 women serving life sentences at HMP New Hall and one of around a dozen inmates over the age of 60. Reports suggest she struggles with mobility issues and spends much of her time alone, often knitting. Brown observed that West doesn't socialise extensively, suggesting that after "living in the same room for 30-odd years" with the knowledge she'll remain there for life, "you're not really bothered about making mates."
Remarkably, Brown revealed that West visited her cell to wish her luck upon her release, advising her "not to get involved with bad people again." Despite this interaction, Brown clarified that "not many people talk to her" and "I can't really say she's very well liked."
The Horrific Crimes
West and her husband Fred committed their atrocities between 1967 and 1987, primarily at their Cromwell Street home in Gloucester, which became known as the "House of Horrors." Their victims included West's own daughter Heather, whose remains were discovered buried in the garden in 1994, along with eight other women and girls found at the property.
Fred West hanged himself in custody at HMP Birmingham on 1st January 1995 while awaiting trial. Rose West was convicted later that year at Winchester Crown Court, where she attempted to blame all ten murders on her husband. She received a life sentence for each victim and is one of only four women in Britain to receive a whole-life prison sentence.
Brown's Own Criminal Case
Eleanor Brown's imprisonment followed what Judge Alex Menary at Leeds Crown Court described as a "vindictive, selfish and vengeful" campaign against her police officer father's former lover. She created a fake escort profile using explicit photographs, advertising sexual services for as little as £5, then sent links directly to the woman's husband, whose phone was inundated with calls from men seeking those services.
Judge Menary noted Brown's "staggering" lack of remorse and deliberate maximisation of her victims' humiliation. Since her release, Brown has maintained her position, declaring on TikTok that she is "not sorry and never will be sorry," while using social media to critique the prison system and share her experiences behind bars.
West's Prison Existence
In 2001, West abandoned an appeal against her conviction, stating she was prepared to spend the rest of her life in prison. "I know that if I was released life would never be normal," she said at the time. "I would have to run and hide and be removed from my children. At least in my present situation I can see them from time to time and have regular contact by correspondence."
Despite the passage of time, suspicions remain that the Wests may have killed additional victims beyond those officially confirmed. In 2001, claims emerged that Fred West confessed to 20 more murders while speaking to a social worker in prison, though these allegations were never substantiated with physical evidence.
Rose West's current existence represents a stark contrast to her notorious past, with the once-feared killer now described as an elderly woman who "just potters about" and watches nature documentaries, living out her days in relative obscurity under a changed identity at HMP New Hall.
