Vanessa Farke-Harris, a former prison governor at HM Prison Holloway, has described Rosemary West as a “manipulative psychopath” after supervising her during incarceration. Despite West’s horrific crimes, Farke-Harris recalled that the killer’s outward demeanor was surprisingly ordinary, even unassuming.
West, one of Britain’s most notorious murderers, was held in the segregation unit under Farke-Harris’s care as she awaited trial at Winchester Crown Court. Eventually, West received life sentences for the murder of 10 young women and girls, including her own daughter and stepdaughter. Her husband, Fred West, also accused of multiple murders, committed suicide in his prison cell in January 1995 before facing trial.
Reflecting on her time with West, Farke-Harris revealed: “We used to call her Auntie Rose because she just looked like somebody’s auntie. She wore thick milk bottle glasses, was quiet, and spent much of her time knitting. It was difficult to reconcile her calm appearance with the horror of her crimes.”
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Yet, beneath that calm exterior, Farke-Harris perceived something far more sinister. “Manipulative psychopath. No emotion whatsoever,” she said.
The former governor recounted the chilling moment she and a duty governor informed West of her husband’s suicide at HM Prison Birmingham. Despite the grave news, West showed no visible reaction. “Not a flicker of emotion. In fact, there was almost a glint in her eye, like she was thinking, ‘Well, they can’t pin it all on me now, can they?’” Farke-Harris recalled. When West’s hopeful thought was met with a stern reply of “Wrong,” her subdued response was simply, “No. No, I’m fine. Thank you.”
Farke-Harris concluded that West’s coldness and composure were the hallmarks of a “typical psychopath.”
The crimes committed by the Wests remain some of the most disturbing in British history. At their home on 25 Cromwell Street—dubbed the “house of horror”—authorities found the remains of nine girls buried on the property, with three additional bodies located elsewhere. Testimony during the trials detailed years of horrific sexual abuse, torture, and murder. Fred West, often labeled the “epitome of evil,” preyed on vulnerable women and girls to fulfill sadistic urges. Together, the couple raped, tortured, and murdered numerous victims, leaving a dark legacy of suffering.