Original subtitles

The following programme contains descriptions of real-life violence,

and scenes which some viewers may find distressing.

and scenes which some viewers may find distressing.

(LOW, HAUNTING MUSIC)

REPORTER: Police in Gloucestershire are to begin digging in a field,

REPORTER: Police in Gloucestershire are to begin digging in a field,

today, as they continue their search for a missing Coatbridge woman,

and her daughter.

REPORTER: The field is around a mile from the village of Much Marcle,

REPORTER: The field is around a mile from the village of Much Marcle,

where Frederick West once lived with his first wife, Catherine Costello.

REPORTER: Catherine West was last seen more than twenty years ago,

Mr West has already been charged with the murder of nine other women

Mr West has already been charged with the murder of nine other women

and girls.

It wasn't until 1994,

It wasn't until 1994,

almost 30 years after I last saw her,

before I heard of Rena again.

It was with total shock, that, her face came up on the screen.

And it was just the most horrifying thing,

And it was just the most horrifying thing,

thinking, I know this person. I know who this is.

This isn't Catherine West, Fred West's first wife,

This isn't Catherine West, Fred West's first wife,

this is Rena Costello from Coatbridge!

I can still feel the horror and just thinking, this is beyond belief.

I can still feel the horror and just thinking, this is beyond belief.

(LOW, HAUNTING MUSIC)

FRED WEST:

FRED WEST:

(MUSIC CONTINUES)

(MUSIC CONTINUES)

We're approaching a village called Much Marcle,

and on the outskirts of that are two fields,

and on the outskirts of that are two fields,

that's Letter Box Field and Finger Post Field.

This is the first time I've been back.

It's quite a strange feeling.

My name is Richard Bradley,

My name is Richard Bradley,

in 1994, I was the search co-ordinator

for the Fred and Rose West investigation.

It was almost a daily occurrence,

that we found another set of human remains.

And I think, at the time, potentially within the community,

And I think, at the time, potentially within the community,

there was a fear of, could that victim be a relative of mine?

Totally shocking, especially around, you know, in Gloucester,

I mean wouldn't expect this to happen.

I mean wouldn't expect this to happen.

There were nine sets of human remains found, in Cromwell Street.

It was, you know, down to the investigative skills,

It was, you know, down to the investigative skills,

of the CID who, obviously, began to illicit more information from Fred,

lead us to move away from Cromwell Street,

lead us to move away from Cromwell Street,

to the fields, in Much Marcle.

We actually realised that there were potentially more victims.

We actually realised that there were potentially more victims.

That came as a complete surprise.

Behind each one of those victims, is a story.

Who were they? What is their back story?

Who were they? What is their back story?

How come they became acquainted with Fred?

And I think that's really important to understand that,

And I think that's really important to understand that,

because it fits part of the bigger picture of how he operated.

How he became a serial killer.

And its perhaps something that's always made me curious.

And slowly,

And slowly,

as information came back about the identity of the victims,

it became quite clear that some of them were not local people.

it became quite clear that some of them were not local people.

I think that's when I first heard about the Scottish connection.

(LOW, OMINOUS MUSIC)

(LOW, OMINOUS MUSIC)

In 1965, Fred and Rena moved to McClenan Street

with the two children, Charmaine, and her little sister.

with the two children, Charmaine, and her little sister.

Rena's friends Anne McFall and Isa McNeill

Rena's friends Anne McFall and Isa McNeill

had all become very close.

Anne and Isa would come to the flat, and babysit for Rena.

Anne and Isa would come to the flat, and babysit for Rena.

Fred would leave the children caged in,

Fred would leave the children caged in,

between the bunk beds with some metal that he'd put there,

so that they couldn't get out and play, or walk around.

And, soon as he had gone to work,

And, soon as he had gone to work,

Anne and Isa would free the children

and let them play freely,

and then have to have them back in there before he came home.

and then have to have them back in there before he came home.

My name is Paul Pender, I am from the east end of Glasgow,

My name is Paul Pender, I am from the east end of Glasgow,

and I had a really happy childhood.

That's why I was so shocked that-

That's why I was so shocked that-

that Fred West was always at the-

the edge of frame of my boyhood.

And when I found out he had these connections,

And when I found out he had these connections,

I suddenly realised that he was part of my story and my families story,

and the whole of Glasgow's story.

I think there is a lot we don't know about Fred's time in Glasgow,

obviously, the suspicion is that he killed in Scotland,

obviously, the suspicion is that he killed in Scotland,

before he killed in Gloucester.

What I know about Fred's years in Glasgow are that

What I know about Fred's years in Glasgow are that

he spent his entire time

looking for young women in his ice cream van.

looking for young women in his ice cream van.

And, unlike all the other people who had to return his van to the depot,

he often didn't return his till three or four in the morning.

he often didn't return his till three or four in the morning.

And in Glasgow, there's very little demand for ice cream, after sundown.

Scuse me.

Well, John McLachlan was a tough guy but a nice guy,

Well, John McLachlan was a tough guy but a nice guy,

he worked as a bus driver, and John challenged Fred.

Fred had an allotment, the allotment was in the south side,

in Kinning Park, near McLellen street.

in Kinning Park, near McLellen street.

I don't think he was interested in vegetables, but there was a patch

of his allotment that was set out beautifully, brown earth,

of his allotment that was set out beautifully, brown earth,

always well tilled,

and when asked by a neighbour what he was growing there, he said,

and when asked by a neighbour what he was growing there, he said,

"I am saving it for something special",

that's on record, and that's a fascinating comment.

that's on record, and that's a fascinating comment.

Unfortunately, the allotments were destroyed in order to build a motorway,

in the 1970's.

So we'll never the truth, but the obvious implication is,

he was picking up a young woman and taking her back to his allotment,

where he would, in some way, violate her,

where he would, in some way, violate her,

and that's the popular suspicion,

and that's what John Mclachlan thought.

and that's what John Mclachlan thought.

REPORTER: Have you ever heard of a wife being beaten up by her husband?

Yes, I have.

Have you seriously? Honestly, yes.

Have you seriously? Honestly, yes.

Oh aye I've heard a lot of it. - Seriously? - Yes.

Do you know anybody who - has been beaten up? - Oh yes.

What happened to her?

Oh, what happened to her, got her face knocked about, you know,

Oh, what happened to her, got her face knocked about, you know,

she got bruised a bit. - By her husband? - Yes.

Fred and Rena's time in Glasgow was very volatile.

Fred and Rena's time in Glasgow was very volatile.

Very quickly, Rena found that Fred was violent,

Very quickly, Rena found that Fred was violent,

Rena would try to stick up for herself,

but that was very difficult against

somebody as aggressive and violent as Fred.

somebody as aggressive and violent as Fred.

She then formed a relationship with John McLachlan.

She then formed a relationship with John McLachlan.

He offered some form of protection against Fred,

he would see the bruises on Rena, and then, he would go after Fred.

he would see the bruises on Rena, and then, he would go after Fred.

West got very, very jealous, because he was losing control of Rena,

he wanted a vice-like grip over her.

he wanted a vice-like grip over her.

And, that he was losing it.

REPORTER: The pile of soil has been growing by the hour.

Visible evidence of the painstaking search

Visible evidence of the painstaking search

that began early this morning.

This is the original site,

This is the original site,

where Fred indicated he'd buried human remains.

So, if you can imagine a three metre distance out,

So, if you can imagine a three metre distance out,

and then we dug probably ten metres in length,

and then we went down two metres.

The majority of the sets of human remains at Cromwell Street,

were buried at a specific depth.

If the remains weren't there at two metres,

then there were no remains to be found.

They were more or less in a consistent pattern.

They were more or less in a consistent pattern.

The first thing you came across, were the femurs,

they were sort of, like this.

And then you had the torso, and the skull underneath.

And then you had the torso, and the skull underneath.

So, they'd been cut into three.

It was about two weeks worth of work,

digging down to a depth of about two metres, and we found nothing.

digging down to a depth of about two metres, and we found nothing.

REPORTER: The excavations in a field, at Kempley,

have again been moved today.

This time the Portacabin that has been the police's base during

This time the Portacabin that has been the police's base during

this operation was moved for digging to start underneath.

But, the search for further bodies has so far been fruitless.

(LOW, OMINOUS MUSIC)

We'll start by introducing yourself.

I'm John Notts, do you require an address. (CHUCKLES)

I'm John Notts, do you require an address. (CHUCKLES)

Growing up in the Gorbals, when I came into the teenage years.

Growing up in the Gorbals, when I came into the teenage years.

Yeah. I became a gang member.

Fred West had moved a lot through Glasgow, to different areas,

Fred West had moved a lot through Glasgow, to different areas,

because the way that he acted was preceding him.

No matter where he went to.

No matter where he went to.

He had a reputation of molesting kids, stories about the fact

that he was tampering with kids, that started building up.

that he was tampering with kids, that started building up.

And I thought, right, this- this just isn't right.

This guy was bringing far too much heat into the pubs.

This guy was bringing far too much heat into the pubs.

The police sending in undercover detectives, to write down stories,

and find out whatever was going on.

The gang leader of the area, says to his enforcers...

The gang leader of the area, says to his enforcers...

"Go down there, and tell him to get out of here."

"Go down there, and tell him to get out of here."

He said at the end of the day, they were just going to mess his business up.

There was some neighbour, she, apparently, had informed Fred

that he was going to get ambushed.

And, that's when he just packed his bags and went.

And, that's when he just packed his bags and went.

I mean, there was a couple of stories about the Kingston Bridge,

that was getting built at the time, and one or two adversities,

that was getting built at the time, and one or two adversities,

had actually been planted in there.

So, I think that's where Mr West would have ended up,

So, I think that's where Mr West would have ended up,

if he never took the telling again, out here.

Nasty man, nasty.

Fred had to get out of Glasgow quickly, and that's what he did.

And he grabbed the children, and he headed down south,

And he grabbed the children, and he headed down south,

back to Gloucester, where he got a caravan.

But Rena was left back in Glasgow.

But Rena was left back in Glasgow.

He had a hold over Rena, and he used that.

He played that card whenever he could. She wanted those children.

He played that card whenever he could. She wanted those children.

She didn't want them with Fred.

Rena was left with this terrible dilemma.

Does she go with Fred and the children,

Does she go with Fred and the children,

or does she stay in Glasgow and start a new life?

(LOW, HAUNTING MUSIC)

(LOW, HAUNTING MUSIC)

It would have been better for Rena,

if she had cut Fred right out of her life.

if she had cut Fred right out of her life.

But, he unfortunately, took the children down to Gloucester,

and Rena was only able to be here, in Glasgow, for a short while,

and Rena was only able to be here, in Glasgow, for a short while,

before she was pining.

She was pining for those children, and she didn't want a repeat

She was pining for those children, and she didn't want a repeat

of what had happened to her, with her own mother.

She did not want to leave her two children with Fred West.

She did not want to leave her two children with Fred West.

She did not want them to say, my mother walked out on me.

Rena had to get the children back,

and she knew that would be difficult.

So, she decided to go down to Gloucester to find them,

So, she decided to go down to Gloucester to find them,

and to take her friends, Anne and Isa with her.

The three girls came down on a coach,

and Fred picked them up at the bus station in this van.

and Fred picked them up at the bus station in this van.

They had to sit in the back.

And, because he was working in a slaughterhouse at the time,

And, because he was working in a slaughterhouse at the time,

it was, like, covered with blood, carcases, offal, it was revolting.

And here, these poor girls travelling down to this new life,

And here, these poor girls travelling down to this new life,

with this stench.

And yet, you know, this was their fresh start.

And yet, you know, this was their fresh start.

(LOW, OMINOUS MUSIC)

This is Parkhead in the East end of Glasgow;

This is Parkhead in the East end of Glasgow;

this is where Anne McFall grew up.

And I was a few doors along.

When I found that Anne McFall grew up in the same street as I did,

that was an absolute bombshell to me,

the idea that my mum could have spoken to her mum,

the idea that my mum could have spoken to her mum,

that I could have met her when I was a kid.

So, this is the last strip of Tenement housing in this area,

So, this is the last strip of Tenement housing in this area,

this is kind of the last memento of those years.

Back in the day, it wouldn't have looked as nice as that,

Back in the day, it wouldn't have looked as nice as that,

it's had a kind of makeover,

it wasn't a terribly nice place to live.

Very old fashioned, very basic.

Very old fashioned, very basic.

Anne's life, in Parkhead at that time,

Anne's life, in Parkhead at that time,

I don't think there has been that much joy in it.

She lived there with her mother, who drank a lot,

She lived there with her mother, who drank a lot,

and her father who occasionally appeared.

Although I believe he had a house with some other woman,

in some other part of town.

And occasionally her brother, who had a large scar,

And occasionally her brother, who had a large scar,

and was known as Scarface which is never a good sign.

But, knowing what we now know, she would probably have had

But, knowing what we now know, she would probably have had

a better chance of having a good life, if she'd stayed where she was,

difficult though that was.

It wasn't a good start for Anne.

And, by the time she was ten,

And, by the time she was ten,

she sent to one of the notorious Nazareth Houses.

Nazareth House in Aberdeen was a children's home that children

Nazareth House in Aberdeen was a children's home that children

would be sent to, from disruptive and difficult families.

Or if they were deemed to be young offenders.

Or if they were deemed to be young offenders.

In the 1960's, the care system and the juvenile justice system

can't really be separated, they were completely entangled.

can't really be separated, they were completely entangled.

It was run by a religious order, called the Sisters of Nazareth,

and it was very strict.

and it was very strict.

There was this assumption amongst the staff there,

that all children there were somehow bad,

and just in need of a firm hand and discipline.

and just in need of a firm hand and discipline.

Children were routinely hit with brushes, broom handles,

and even wooden crucifixes.

and even wooden crucifixes.

Visits from family were not encouraged.

I imagine Anne would have felt this isolation,

I imagine Anne would have felt this isolation,

intense loneliness potentially.

INTERVIEWER: So what have you got there, Amanda?

INTERVIEWER: So what have you got there, Amanda?

These are witness testimonies of two people

who were at the Nazareth House, in Aberdeen, at the same time as Anne.

who were at the Nazareth House, in Aberdeen, at the same time as Anne.

"My hair was really long when I first went to Nazareth House.

I got lice in my hair.

Sister poured scalding water onto my hair, and washed my hair

Sister poured scalding water onto my hair, and washed my hair

with Jeyes fluid.

Then she cut all my hair off short.

They told me, "You won't get lice again."

As a result of this treatment,

the rest of my hair fell out and never grew back.

My dermatologist told me many years later,

My dermatologist told me many years later,

that the hair follicles had died,

because of the scolding hot water, and it will never grow back."

For Anne, this would have been a hugely difficult place to grow up.

For Anne, this would have been a hugely difficult place to grow up.

Most children, who, at that time, would be coming into care,

would have been victims of, or witness to violence in the home.

would have been victims of, or witness to violence in the home.

And then, you get into somewhere like Nazareth House,

where this violence, again, is woven into everyday life.

where this violence, again, is woven into everyday life.

I would say that predatory men were attracted to young girls in care.

I would say that predatory men were attracted to young girls in care.

I think to understand her story and what happened to her,

her experience in care is key,

because it could make you very vulnerable or susceptible

because it could make you very vulnerable or susceptible

to exploitation.

And I think that is something that Fred West would have taken

advantage of.

advantage of.

Police in Gloucester, are searching for the body of Coatbridge woman

Police in Gloucester, are searching for the body of Coatbridge woman

Rena Costello, today admitted they still haven't found

any trace of her.

That's despite a major excavation operation, in a field near

That's despite a major excavation operation, in a field near

the village of Much Marcle, which has been going on for ten days.

We'd searched that site for two weeks, and we found nothing.

Shortly after that, I came out with Fred West

Shortly after that, I came out with Fred West

to actually identify where he believed he'd buried human remains.

I took Fred out on I think it was four occasions,

I took Fred out on I think it was four occasions,

being as discreet as we could, very early hours of the morning.

Fred and I sat in the back of the van, had sort of general discussions

Fred and I sat in the back of the van, had sort of general discussions

about life. For me, it was surreal, because you know, you...

about life. For me, it was surreal, because you know, you...

Perhaps in your mind you build a picture of somebody

that's going to be quite, well, not a nice person,

somebody that's aggressive, somebody that's...

somebody that's aggressive, somebody that's...

Maybe not quite, not quite with you.

And that wasn't what I saw, when I met Fred.

And that wasn't what I saw, when I met Fred.

I found him to be just, well, if you want to describe anybody as normal,

I found him to be just, well, if you want to describe anybody as normal,

he was a normal guy.

Talked about his childhood, living out in Much Marcle,

riding his motorbike round the lanes.

It was just general, just general chitchat.

It was just general, just general chitchat.

One of the many interesting things about West is,

he was not the strong, silent serial killing type of legend.

he was not the strong, silent serial killing type of legend.

He was quite the opposite. Guileless, never shut up.

One of the solicitors who interviewed him said

One of the solicitors who interviewed him said

he was a very blokish kind of a bloke.

He was always good at manipulating the facts.

You can hear it in the police tapes, when he changes his story,

You can hear it in the police tapes, when he changes his story,

when he realises the police aren't reacting.

He keep saying he met women who were grieving at the side of the road,

who were troubled, in fact, he said he met Anne that way.

who were troubled, in fact, he said he met Anne that way.

That he picked her up. She was crying by the side of the road,

and he invited her into the van, and, and he sorted out her problems.

And of course, we knew that was complete nonsense,

And of course, we knew that was complete nonsense,

that he was introduced to her by the Isa McNeill and Rena.

Anne was about 15, when she met Rena and Fred.

She had probably been beaten down by the system over the years.

She had not much life at all.

Rena and Fred, and the children, would have been like

a ready-made family for Anne.

It would have been like the family and stability

It would have been like the family and stability

that she was looking for.

Here, police investigating the discovery of nine bodies at a house

Here, police investigating the discovery of nine bodies at a house

in Gloucester, have found what they believe are more human remains,

in a field near the village of Much Marcle.

in a field near the village of Much Marcle.

Police have been digging in this isolated field in Kempley for two weeks.

They have excavated more than a 150 tons of soil

They have excavated more than a 150 tons of soil

as part of a meticulous fingertip search, which today,

bore its first grim results.

I can tell you, the remains are human, that they are female,

I can tell you, the remains are human, that they are female,

that's all we can tell you, really.

(LOW, OMINOUS MUSIC)

Rena formed a strong bond with Anne McFall and Isa McNeill.

Rena formed a strong bond with Anne McFall and Isa McNeill.

The three women, the two kids, and Fred West,

all lived together in a small caravan in Gloucestershire.

all lived together in a small caravan in Gloucestershire.

I think it might have seemed I think it might have seemed at the start

of all of this caravan business,

of all of this caravan business,

that it was a kind of attractive gypsy lifestyle,

which in the era of the hippies

was a kind of ideal, kind of rural idyll.

was a kind of ideal, kind of rural idyll.

But actually, I think the reality, when they got there,

must have been pretty gruesome, with that number of people,

must have been pretty gruesome, with that number of people,

and that number of kids and he kept them prisoner at times.

He often said, "You can't leave the site."

He often said, "You can't leave the site."

I think that was one of the conditions of staying there,

I don't want you going out and mixing with the public, and,

basically you're here, and you'll, you know, you'll stay here.

basically you're here, and you'll, you know, you'll stay here.

So, it was a very controlling set up.

Fred was violent all the time.

The girls were actually prisoners in the caravan.

Any woman can become a victim of domestic abuse.

Contrary to popular opinion,

it is the woman who stands up for herself,

it is the woman who stands up for herself,

that is more likely to get hit, because she is resisting

his power and control, and therefore he has to up the ante,

in order to establish that over her.

in order to establish that over her.

As far as we know, Fred was most violent to Rena,

and by all accounts, she was the one who was the most feisty and probably

stood up to him, resisted him.

stood up to him, resisted him.

By contrast, we know that Anne was kind of fairly quiet and shy,

and often very compliant.

For women who are in an abusive relationship,

For women who are in an abusive relationship,

leaving is the single most dangerous thing that they can do.

If I can't have you, no one else will.

It's a very chilling thing for a woman in an abusive relationship

It's a very chilling thing for a woman in an abusive relationship

to hear.

Rena wanted to get those children back to safety,

so they devised a plan.

Isa decided she would phone her boyfriend, John Trotter,

Isa decided she would phone her boyfriend, John Trotter,

and pass the message on to John McLachlan,

that they needed rescuing.

that they needed rescuing.

They hatched a plan with him, that he would come down with

John Trotter, and that they would come and pick them up,

John Trotter, and that they would come and pick them up,

when Fred was at work. And they could all escape.

Rena could take the children. The girls could go back home.

So the two of them drove down

So the two of them drove down

and attempted to bring all the women and kids home.

They almost succeeded.

They almost succeeded.

But, at the last minute, West appeared.

A big argument ensued and they fought over the kids.

A big argument ensued and they fought over the kids.

Fred was not going to let the children go.

He knew that was his way of holding on to Rena,

He knew that was his way of holding on to Rena,

whatever happened, this was his power and control over her.

He held on to Charmaine and Anne held the younger girl.

Fred wasn't at all surprised to find them in there.

He knew who they were. He knew what was happening.

He knew who they were. He knew what was happening.

And it soon became apparent that Anne had actually told Fred

of their plan, so Anne had actually betrayed them.

of their plan, so Anne had actually betrayed them.

It was at that point, that it became clear that Anne was actually

having an affair with Fred.

having an affair with Fred.

She was going to stay with him, not just to be nanny,

but actually, she was in a relationship with Fred.

Rena and Isa, went back to Glasgow.

It was terrible having to leave without the children.

It was terrible having to leave without the children.

She just come down to get them back.

And it ended like this, you know, that she'd lost her children, again.

And it ended like this, you know, that she'd lost her children, again.

And that is the worst point in time.

If only Anne had gone home.

If only Rena could have got hold of the two children.

Unfortunately, it didn't work that way.

REPORTER: The police brought the woman's remains

from Letter Box Field, with as much dignity as they could.

A single police man carried them in a box,

A single police man carried them in a box,

which was draped in black cloth, as a mark of respect.

The field is around a mile from where Frederick West once lived

The field is around a mile from where Frederick West once lived

with his first wife, Catherine Costello.

She has been missing now for more than twenty years.

I was watching television and I just about collapsed.

I was watching television and I just about collapsed.

I was...

...beyond shock!

...beyond shock!

I thought she had gone back to Scotland, I think-

I remember crying my eyes out.

I remember crying my eyes out.

Police in Gloucestershire, have confirmed that human remains,

found in a field at Kempley last Sunday,

are those of Rena Costello from Coatbridge.

are those of Rena Costello from Coatbridge.

The first wife of builder Frederick West.

Yesterday evening, Frederick West was charged with the murder

Yesterday evening, Frederick West was charged with the murder

of Catherine Costello between 1st January 69 and 27th February 94.

Unbelievable. Unbelievable. Shock.

Unbelievable. Unbelievable. Shock.

She put up a fight for me.

She put up a fight for me.

And worse happened for her and that's just horrendous.

How did he do it, the strength.

How did he do it, the strength.

How do any of them do anything?

How do any of them do anything?

Poor lass.

You know, where did it happen, how did it happen?

And how does any young lass end up murdered?

And how does any young lass end up murdered?

RICHARD: The whole investigation was moving at quite a pace.

We identified the remains as Rena Costello,

We identified the remains as Rena Costello,

but there was suspicion that there maybe another set of human remains

out here.

REPORTER: Detectives are now focussing attention on a new site,

the adjoining Finger Post field,

which they say they have good reason to search.

which they say they have good reason to search.

But they won't say if they expect to find any further human remains.

REPORTER: A farmer spreads fertiliser on his fields,

a familiar country scene.

But in this corner of Gloucestershire, life goes on

But in this corner of Gloucestershire, life goes on

against the backdrop of the continuing search for more bodies.

We searched Letterbox field to look for Rena Costello.

And then evidence came forward from Fred, that there may be

another set of human remains, in the field next door.

another set of human remains, in the field next door.

The field rises slightly and then it goes into a dip.

As we walked over the brow, Fred said to me,

As we walked over the brow, Fred said to me,

"She's down by the pond, on the edge of the pond."

And as we walk down there, and as you can see, there is no pond.

And as we walk down there, and as you can see, there is no pond.

He was actually quite shocked,

because he thought the pond would be there,

because he thought the pond would be there,

and roughly indicated where the remains would be.

The farmer obviously filled in the pond and that was our-

The farmer obviously filled in the pond and that was our-

that was our next big challenge.

In fact, it was probably the biggest challenge of the whole operation.

We needed to find Aerial photographs of that field,

probably from pre 1975.

probably from pre 1975.

We managed to find some old Ordnance Survey aerial photographs,

and we could then plot the pond.

The first thing the search team had to do was to go in and clear

what was the pond, and it was full of tree stumps, and rubbish.

what was the pond, and it was full of tree stumps, and rubbish.

The initial thought was, "Well, do we need to put a digger in?"

Well, actually, no, you don't. So we stopped the digger,

Well, actually, no, you don't. So we stopped the digger,

because what we had to do, very carefully,

is do it all by hand, because a scoop or a bucket of a JCB

is do it all by hand, because a scoop or a bucket of a JCB

could remove, you know, two or three cubic yards of material.

And in that, there could be sets of human remains.

And we could have missed that.

So, we're looking at ten feet down.

I think it was about 8 to 10 tennis courts in size,

I think it was about 8 to 10 tennis courts in size,

several thousand tons of soil and a very wet terrain.

It was a mammoth task.

I think Anne betrayed her friends, because, she was desperate really,

I think Anne betrayed her friends, because, she was desperate really,

she was desperate to have a family, some support,

somebody who cared for her, a normal life.

somebody who cared for her, a normal life.

She just clung on to Fred, as some kind of hope for the future,

She just clung on to Fred, as some kind of hope for the future,

and the fact that you would hope to have a fresh start in life

with a man like Fred, really is desperate.

with a man like Fred, really is desperate.

But totally understandable.

I think for a long time, Fred was telling Anne they'd be moving

I think for a long time, Fred was telling Anne they'd be moving

soon to a beautiful house. And she believed him.

And she started writing home to her mum.

She was saying that it was wonderful with Fred,

and that they were going to get this cottage with roses round the door.

and that they were going to get this cottage with roses round the door.

She had this romantic notion of marriage and children.

It's a family that she'd never had as a child.

It's a family that she'd never had as a child.

Sadly, it wasn't to be.

It is extremely rare, for abusers not to be very charming,

It is extremely rare, for abusers not to be very charming,

because most people are not stupid.

If you'd met a man on the first date, and he punched you in

the face and said, "I will destroy your life."

Would you have a second date with him?

Would you have a second date with him?

I often talk about domestic abuse being on a continuum,

with murder at this end and, for want of a better description,

with murder at this end and, for want of a better description,

mild abuse at this end.

And abusers will go as far down this continuum as they need to,

in order to get the power and control to which they feel

in order to get the power and control to which they feel

they are entitled.

We often use the analogy of the frog in boiling water,

so, if you drop a frog into boiling water, it will jump out.

so, if you drop a frog into boiling water, it will jump out.

But if you put a frog into a pot of cold water and then light the gas

underneath, that frog will sit there,

until they are slowly boiled alive, because it's gradual.

until they are slowly boiled alive, because it's gradual.

That process of entrapment.

It took about ten weeks to clear that pond, and it was huge.

If you search in an open country field, you will come across

bones from animals.

You'll come across rabbit bones, you'll come across badger bones,

You'll come across rabbit bones, you'll come across badger bones,

you'll come across bird bones, which, to the human eye,

you could think that's a human bone,

you could think that's a human bone,

because, you know, the human body is made up of all sorts of

different bones, and different size bones.

different bones, and different size bones.

So, that was the challenge.

Just decide is that an animal bone, or is that a human.

After ten weeks, and after we, literally, dug the whole of what was

the pond out,

we were right on the edge, right in the last,

we were right on the edge, right in the last,

I would say the last two or three square metres

of the search operation.

And it was almost to the point of, well, shall we just finish

And it was almost to the point of, well, shall we just finish

this last little bit off?

And I said, "Just finish it off, for the sake of completeness."

And as they dug down, that's where we found the remains.

And as they dug down, that's where we found the remains.

(LOW, HAUNTING MUSIC)

(LOW, HAUNTING MUSIC)

As we- As we found the beginning of the remains of Anne McFall.

As we- As we found the beginning of the remains of Anne McFall.

We found erm...

...small human bones, which indicated to us that there was a foetus.

...small human bones, which indicated to us that there was a foetus.

On Sunday evening, Fredrick West was charged with the murder of Anne McFall,

On Sunday evening, Fredrick West was charged with the murder of Anne McFall,

between the 1st April 1967 and the 1st November 1967.

between the 1st April 1967 and the 1st November 1967.

Anne McFall was last seen in the Gloucester area

in the summer of 1967, when she was heavily pregnant.

in the summer of 1967, when she was heavily pregnant.

No one knows how Anne was killed because West never admitted to it.

No one knows how Anne was killed because West never admitted to it.

But, when her body was found, I think it was revealed

that her hands had been tied behind her back.

that her hands had been tied behind her back.

Anne was the only victim he did not acknowledge,

as if he could not admit to himself that he'd killed her.

as if he could not admit to himself that he'd killed her.

He felt he had a special bond with her.

He said he had visions of her. He talked to her ghost.

He said he had visions of her. He talked to her ghost.

You have to bear in mind, this is a woman he's talking about

posthumously, writing about her sometimes as his angel.

Then you remember all the terrible things he did to her.

Then you remember all the terrible things he did to her.

So, it's very much, the psychotic mind of Fred West at work here.

But, it was an odd relationship.

He always said, "She was the only woman I ever loved."

He always said, "She was the only woman I ever loved."

But being loved by Fred West is a dubious distinction.

We'll never know with Anne, whether the penny dropped,

and at eight months pregnant, women often find a desire to kind of like

and at eight months pregnant, women often find a desire to kind of like

leave an abusive relationship and kind of make a new start,

because their attention is refocused on the forthcoming child.

because their attention is refocused on the forthcoming child.

So, it's possible that she was trying to leave him,

but Fred wouldn't let her go.

I think it was within a day or two of the remains of Anne McFall

being found in a field.

being found in a field.

I had a request from the incident room to say that

Anne's brother, Thomas McFall, wanted to come down to the scene.

Anne's brother, Thomas McFall, wanted to come down to the scene.

So, he came down from Glasgow to the field.

I think, at the time, he was almost perhaps bewildered.

I think, at the time, he was almost perhaps bewildered.

He just said to me, "I- We just thought that she had left home,

He just said to me, "I- We just thought that she had left home,

to move away and had started a new life."

The assumption was that she had set up home

The assumption was that she had set up home

somewhere else in the country.

And, he said all of a sudden.

And, he said all of a sudden.

You know you find her remains, he thought she was safe,

and you know, just living- living a new life.

and you know, just living- living a new life.

Throughout the whole investigation,

we were just finding sets of human remains.

To suddenly meet a relative, it sort of put it back-

To suddenly meet a relative, it sort of put it back-

that back into context, it did humanise the whole search for me.

that back into context, it did humanise the whole search for me.

(FAINT, HAUNTING MUSIC)

After Anne had died, Rena was back up in Glasgow.

It was heart-breaking. She could not get those children,

and she knew what Fred was capable of,

and she knew what Fred was capable of,

and she knew he would use it as a hold over her.

And he did.

Subsequently, she was up and down, trying to get them back,

Subsequently, she was up and down, trying to get them back,

and never being in a position, after that point,

to actually get them because he would be too violent.

West, I think, was looking for his perfect woman.

She'd have to be young and she'd have to be malleable,

She'd have to be young and she'd have to be malleable,

but she'd have to have a capacity for violence,

and indeed, for sadism.

And that was Rosemary.

When he met somebody that ticked all the boxes,

someone who could down to the depths of hell with him,

someone who could down to the depths of hell with him,

he thought, "Well, this is it.

We'll have a cull of the herd", as it were.

Thinking like a farmer. He began to cull the herd.

Thinking like a farmer. He began to cull the herd.

The next location to be searched is likely to be 25 Midland Road,

another of Frederick West's former homes.

another of Frederick West's former homes.

Police won't confirm that they're now looking for clues

to the disappearance of his eight-year-old daughter, Charmaine,

20 years ago.

20 years ago.

Digging will begin tomorrow.

Police believe at least one body is buried here.

Though finding it may prove to be their most difficult operation

so far.

so far.

AccessibleCustomerService@sky.uk