This article contains references to murder, sexual torture, abuse, violence, and suicide.

Netflix's docies, Fred and Rose West: A British Horror Story, offers a new insight into one of the most infamous murder cases in the United Kingdom. The series outlines the horrific relationship of the sadistic couple, how they systematically got away with abducting, torturing, and murdering young women for over 20 years, and what led to their apprehension in 1994. The Netflix true-crime documentary contains archival footage, photographs, and audio recordings of the couple.

The series allows a new perspective and shows how many people were affected. Although Fred and Rose West have become infamous, the Netflix documentary provides new information about their crimes and the court cases.

11 The Killing Spree Began Before Cromwell Street

Fred Was Responsible For At Least Two Murders Before Cromwell Street

The crimes primarily took place at 25 Cromwell Street in Gloucester, England, where the couple moved shortly after their wedding. Between 1972 and 1987, several women met their fate inside the home, including three former lodgers, hitchhikers, and their 16-year-old daughter, Heather. The house was dubbed "The House of Horrors", but the murders began long before.

One of Fred West's first victims was his former wife, Catherine "Rena" Costello, who was last seen in August 1971. West itted that she murdered (via Daily Mail). Another early victim not mentioned in the docies was Anne McFall, Fred West's former nanny and lover, who was last seen in 1967. At the time of her disappearance, McFall was eight months pregnant with West's child. The remains of both women were found buried in a field in West's hometown of Much Marcle, Herefordshire, in 1994.

10 The Basement Was Once Used As The Children's Den

The Basement's Walls Were Covered In The Children's Art

A horrifying aspect of the Wests' was how they used their basement as a sexual torture chamber. Between 1973 and 1974, it was also used as the burial ground for five of the couple's ten confirmed victims. The Wests' former neighbor, Liz Angus, stated that Fred was initially considering converting the basement into a play area for his children.

It wasn't used as a play area for long due to the cold temperatures and the strong smell of sewage.

The walls of the basement are shown to have artwork and drawings done by the Wests' children, which was allowed to be used as a play area. According to Detective Constable Russ Williams, it wasn't used as a play area for long due to the cold temperatures and the strong smell of sewage.

9 Fred Encouraged Rose's Sexual Activity With Other Men

Rose Had At Least Three Children With Sexual Clients

Fred met Rose at a bus stop in Cheltenham in 1969; Rose was only 15 years old while Fred was around 27. Fred itted that he "trained Rose to what [he] wanted" in a partner, and he encouraged her to engage in sexual activity with different men. In several images, Rose West is posing provocatively for magazines advertising her services.

In his 1995 book, Fred and Rose: The Full Story of Fred and Rose West and the Gloucester House of Horrors, Howard Sounes describes how Fred converted a bedroom into Rose's sex room, where she would engage in sexual activities with clients. The bedroom walls were fitted with a peephole so Fred could watch Rose have sex with other men. Throughout their marriage, Rose gave birth to eight children, three of whom were fathered by three of her sexual clients (via Cosmopolitan). In 1992, the children were removed from the home and taken into care.

8 One Murder Victim Was Pregnant With Fred's Child Before Her Death

Shirley Robinson Was Eight Months Pregnant When She Disappeared

To make extra income, Fred and Rose West converted the first floor of the house into a living area for lodgers. 18-year-old Shirley Robinson, who moved into the house in 1977 and engaged in a sexual affair with Fred. West itted that he and Shirley "had an affair behind Rose", resulting in Shirley falling pregnant with his child. However, Howard Sounes states in his 1995 book that Rose was aware of the affair and actively encouraged it.

During the search for Heather West, Shirley Robinson's thigh bone was discovered among the remains; this was the first clue to the police that Fred and Rose were involved in multiple disappearances.

A former lodger, Jayne Hamer, described Shirley as infatuated with Fred, stating that she believed that "[Shirley's] got a soft spot for the landlord." It appears that Shirley's infatuation with Fred caused issues in his marriage, with Fred describing Shirley in his police interviews as "the girl who caused the problem" and had to be removed (via BBC). One month before she was due to give birth, Shirley was strangled to death and buried in the garden.

7 The Defense Team Had A Group Hug After Fred Confessed To Murdering Heather

They Realized They Were Experiencing No Ordinary Criminal Case

In 1992, when the Wests' children were taken into care following allegations of sexual abuse, an investigation was launched into the whereabouts of their eldest daughter, 16-year-old Heather West, who had not been seen or heard from since 1987. In interviews with police, Fred West confessed to strangling his daughter, dismembering, and burying her.

Fred West's murder confession deeply impacted his defense team and made them realize they were not dealing with an ordinary criminal case.

Fred West calmly revealed how he used a bread knife to dismember his daughter His defense solicitor, Howard Ogden, described the confession as "black-and-white." Following the interview, the four defense team , including Ogden, left the room and shared a group hug as they realized they were not dealing with a typical criminal case.

6 Fred Made Up Stories About How The Victims Died

He Alleged That They Enjoyed The Sexual Torture, But Things Got Out Of Hand

Fred West's interviews with the police can be heard where he discusses his crimes, his sexual nature, and who the victims were. In several of his interviews, West made up allegations about his victims, claiming that they willingly consented to the sexual torture and that their deaths were accidental. He itted that, aside from a few known victims, he wouldn't be able to tell who was buried at 25 Cromwell Street. He stated that "[he] never actually ever knew their names."

5 Fred & Rose Threatened Their Children They'd End Up Like Heather If They Misbehaved

There Was A Family Joke That Heather Was "Under The Patio"

The couple's eldest son, Stephen, states that the children felt safer at school than at home as their mother "would just lose her temper in a big way over just a little thing." The couple's second daughter, Mae, also stated to police that their father began to touch her and Heather sexually from a young age. It's believed that Heather's refusal to "give in" to her father's advances led to her murder in 1987.

After Heather West's disappearance, Fred and Rose told friends and relatives conflicting stories about her whereabouts. However, they also used their daughter's disappearance as a tool to discipline their younger children, warning them they'd "end up under the patio like Heather" if they misbehaved. While treated as a family joke, it was this threat that broke open the investigation and led to the Wests' arrest in 1994.

4 Fred Told His Son He'd Die Before Ever Telling The Whole Truth About The Murders

Fred West Committed Suicide In 1995

It was confirmed that there were 12 identified victims across three decades, although investigators believed that the couple were involved in more disappearances. Both were questioned regarding their involvement in other missing person cases; one notable case was the 1968 disappearance of 15-year-old Mary Bastholm, who worked in a café that Fred frequently visited (via Independent).

On January 1, 1995, Fred West committed suicide by hanging himself in his prison cell.

During his police interviews, Fred was questioned about his involvement in Mary Bastholm's disappearance. His son, Stephen, revealed that his father stated during a prison visit that he'd die before ever revealing anything else to the authorities. On January 1, 1995, Fred West committed suicide by hanging himself in his prison cell.

3 The Couple Were Convicted Of Assault In 1972 But Got Away With A Fine

They Were Convicted Of Assaulting Caroline Owens After Abducting Her As She Walked Home

Fred and Rose would travel around in search of hitchhikers and women waiting at bus stops. One of their earliest victims, Caroline Owens, moved in to work as a nanny. After some time, she left but was picked up again by the Wests while hitchhiking home. Once she accepted a lift, Fred and Rose drove Owens back to 25 Cromwell Street, where she was viciously assaulted and sexually tortured for hours.

Caroline Owens later published a book about her ordeal with Fred and Rose West, entitled The One That Got Away: How I Escaped Death At The Hands Of Fred And Rose West, in 2012.

After agreeing to return, Owens escaped and reported the rape to the police, but due to the trauma she suffered, couldn't face the Wests in court, resulting in a indecent assault conviction and a £50 fine (via MovieDelic). In the Netflix docies, Owens revealed that she blamed herself for the murders, believing that had she testified in court, the Wests could have been sent to prison sooner. Owens' testimony at Rose West's trial in 1995 later served as crucial proof of Rose's involvement in the murders.

2 A Chance Photograph Proved Rose's Involvement In The Murders

It Was Proven That Rose Murdered Charmaine West While Fred Was In Prison

The youngest confirmed victim was eight-year-old Charmaine West, Fred West's stepdaughter from his first marriage. Charmaine's remains were found buried at 25 Midland Road, where Fred and Rose lived in 1971. Charmaine West was last seen in June 1971, at a time when Fred West was serving a 10-month prison sentence for theft, which indicated to investigators that Rose West was responsible for Charmaine's death.

Dental surgeon Professor David Whittaker worked to identify every victim. In the Netflix docies, Professor Whittaker revealed that a photograph of Charmaine West that was taken in April 1971 served as proof that Rose was responsible for her death. He was able to determine that Charmaine was murdered by Rose shortly after the photograph was taken at a time when Fred was in prison (via The Herald Scotland).