‘She Must Have Known’: The Trail of Rosemary West by Brian Masters Book Review

The trial of Rosemary West has been one of the most highly publicized criminal trials in recent memory. In the wake of these horrific details, journalist Brian Masters has come up with a penetrating study of sexual obsession that led to the measured killing of twelve women and girls. But what if there was more to it than meets the eye? In this blog post, we’ll take a look at the Rosemary West trial and see if there’s any room for doubt about her guilt.

Click me to go to my Review

Synopsis

In 1994, Frederick West was arrested and accused of murdering twelve young women. But it was the trial of his wife, Rosemary West, that became Britain’s serial-killer trial of the century…

Detained for the murder of the twelve women found at 25 Cromwell Street, Gloucester, Frederick West hung himself on New Year’s Day 1995. The case had enraged the nation, and the subsequent trial of Rosemary for the same crimes caused a media sensation.

How are ordinary human beings driven to become serial killers? How did this psychopath ensnare so many women? And how much was Rosemary truly involved?

Brian Masters attended the Rosemary West trial on a daily basis. In “She Must Have Known” he produces a penetrating study of the sexual obsession that led to a series of horrifying and measured killings, ultimately leaving the reader to make up their own mind on the guilt of Rosemary West.

About The Author

Brian Masters has written over twenty books on subjects as diverse as French literature, the dukedoms in Great Britain, E.F. Benson and Marie Corelli. His groundbreaking study of mass murderer Dennis Nilsen, Killing for Company, won the Crime Writers’ Association Gold Dagger for Non-Fiction in 1985. He is also highly regarded for his journalism.

My Review

I think everyone has heard of Fred and Rose West and their ‘House of Horrors’ at 25 Cromwell Street. An ordinary-looking house in the centre of Gloucester that held the bodies of nine women between the ages of fifteen and twenty-one among its many residents. While Fred West hung himself in his prison cell on 1^st January 1995 after charges were first bought against him, Rose continued to stand trial for 10 murders of the twelve he was charged with and was later found guilty at Winchester Crown Court and sentenced to life imprisonment.

The Rosemary West trial is infamous for its gruesomeness and detail, with Masters focusing on how and why ordinary human beings were driven to serial killing of the most devious kind, as well as how an evil psychopath was able to ensnare so many in a web of unseeing complicity. But what if there was another side to this story? What if Rosemary West was actually innocent?

The jury found her guilty, but let’s examine some potential evidence that could have exonerated her. For example, there was no physical evidence linking her to any of the murders—all circumstantial evidence. Furthermore, she has always denied any knowledge or involvement in the murders, steadfastly maintaining her innocence throughout the entire process and in the almost twenty years she has been imprisoned. This could be seen either as admirable strength or extreme naivety depending on which way you look at it.

Another potential piece of evidence that could have proven her innocence is that several witnesses had testified against her during the trial, saying how she participated in sexual activities with them and her husband Fred and this is evidence that she knew what he was like and what he had been doing. Furthermore, that she must have participated in the sexual abuse, torture and murder of innocent women who came after them. Indeed, many times in the trial we see it referred that ‘she must have known’ but did she really know? Was it more that, after Fred killed himself and couldn’t stand trial that someone had to stand trial and be prosecuted?

I did find it interesting that the case for the murder of Fred’s stepdaughter, Charmaine, was pinned wholly upon Fred before his death. The police said they had evidence he killed her and buried her after he was released from prison. After his hanging, they charged Rose with the same crime, saying it couldn’t have been Fred because he was in prison. You can’t call heads and tails at the same time, so which is it? Perhaps we will never know…

Aside from this, I also find it odd that Charmaine’s remains were found hidden in the exact same way as the other victims, hence in Fred’s signature burial. This case was essential to the case against Rose but if that is true then how did she hide her body, without being noticed or smelt, while Fred was still in prison? How would she know how to bury her in the exact same manner? How did a young teenager have the strength to mutilate her body whilst caring for another child as well? It does feel a little far-fetched to pin this on her when it would appear that Fred was the obvious killer, whether with Rose’s assistance or alone.

While I am sure that Rose is now in the best place for her, and is there correctly, found guilty by a unanimous jury of 11 people who had to listen to all of the gruesome details of their infamous crimes, I found myself imagining how awful it would have felt to be informed of the death of your sixteen-year-old daughter by the police while being accused of her murder. In fact, I couldn’t get it out of my head. It’s completely unimaginable and incomprehensible.

While most people will be appalled at the idea that Rose West could be innocent of these murders, reading this book definitely gives pause for thought. Fred West was a cunning liar who managed to cover up his crimes for over twenty years, he fooled many people who had never guessed at any of his crimes so why not his wife as well? Fi she must have known because she was in the house then what about the other tenants who also lived there, surely they should have known or heard something too?

With all that having been said, Rose West is clearly a vile excuse for a human and is evil beyond doubt for the pain and abuse she inflicted upon her children and the assaults she jointly committed with Fred in the name of pleasure, their pleasure of course, not their victims. She deserved a long sentence for her crimes but whether she truly is a murderer, I’m not sure. This book definitely leaves some room for doubt.

Regardless of whether you think she is guilty or innocent, one thing is certain: ‘She Must Have Known’: The Trial of Rosemary West provided us with an interesting perspective into how such heinous crimes are committed and why people are driven to them in some cases. It also showed us just how incredibly difficult it can be for prosecutors and lawyers alike to prove someone’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt in court – especially when so much is riding on their decision! Hopefully, this look at this infamous criminal trial has given you something new to think about when considering whether or not Rosemary West is truly guilty!

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