 Following a year long investigation in which I became known locally as the 'House of Horrors' expert, on New Year's Day 1995, mass murderer Fred West of 25 Cromwell Street, Gloucester, England was found hanged to death in prison as he awaited trial for the murders of 12 people. Amongst his victims were his first wife, her unborn child, her 9 year old daughter, his own 16 year old daughter and many other young women. all died hideous agonising deaths, sexually tortured, most cut into pieces where heads, arms and legs were separated from the torso in order that Fred need dig a smaller grave for his victims. construction worker Fred is likely to have killed many more in 3 decades of death. many unaccounted for young women disappeared in and around Gloucester, abducted from bus stops as they waited for late busses home, a known modus operandi for Fred West and his second wife Rose, currently serving life in prison for her part in the murders. I had been photographing a rugby match in Gloucester when I heard a man had been arrested on suspicion of murder just a year beforehand. one of my photo editors told me to ignore it, 'It's just a domestic' he said. Nevertheless, Cromwell Street was on my way home and I stopped by to see what all the fuss was about. driving into Cromwell Street it was obvious this was no domestic, police cars lined every inch of the street. I called my boss back, yet still he insisted, 'Leave it, come back to the office, it's nothing,' he said. I knocked on the door. a young man, Fred's son Stephen answered. I asked if I could go in. 'No' he said. 'Why not?' I enquired. 'Because my mum and dad have been arrested and I have 17 coppers in my kitchen!' he exclaimed. From that day on, myself and certain colleagues virtually lived outside Cromwell Street and the surrounding areas. (continues on fp22b) |