Rosemary Pauline Letts, known as Rose West, was born on November 29, 1953, in Northam, Devon, to William Andrew Letts and Daisy Gwendoline Fuller. Her birth was the result of a difficult pregnancy. Rose was the fifth of seven children in a poor family. Her mother struggled with depression and underwent electroconvulsive therapy during and after her pregnancy, which some believe may have caused health issues for Rose.

As a child, Rose experienced a challenging upbringing. After her parents separated, she lived with her mother for a while and then moved in with her father in Bishop's Cleeve, near Cheltenham, Gloucestershire. Rose's father suffered from paranoid schizophrenia, which made him prone to violence. Reports indicate that he abused Rose and her oldest sister, Patricia.

During her teenage years, Rose became moody and performed poorly at school. She was often lost in daydreams. Around the time of puberty, she began to act out at home, exhibiting troubling behavior. For example, she sometimes paraded semi-naked in front of her younger brother, Graham, and reportedly molested him and her youngest brother, Gordon, starting when she was about 13 years old.

In early 1969, Rose met Fred West at a bus stop in Cheltenham. At first, she was put off by his appearance but soon felt flattered by his attention. After a few days, she allowed him to walk her home. Fred later found out where she worked and sent her a gift through a stranger to ask her out on a date, which she accepted.

Soon after meeting Fred, Rose became involved with him, leaving her job to become a full-time nanny for his children from a previous marriage. Her parents disapproved of the relationship, leading to a conflict that caused Rose to leave home and stay with Fred. By the time she was 16, Rose was already making choices that distanced her from her family.

As Rose continued her relationship with Fred, she also introduced him to her family, who were concerned about her wellbeing. Despite their disapproval, Rose chose to maintain her connection with Fred. This defiance resulted in her being placed in a home for troubled teenagers for a time. Even while restricted, Rose often found ways to be with Fred.

When Rose turned 16, she left the home and moved in with Fred. Soon after, she had their first child, Heather Ann. Life with Fred brought its own challenges, including financial hardships and issues surrounding his time in prison for various offenses. During his absence, Rose took care of Fred's children.

Rosemary Pauline West, along with her husband Fred, was involved in the murders of at least ten people. One of the earliest victims was her eight-year-old stepdaughter Charmaine. Rose is believed to have killed Charmaine shortly before Fred was released from prison on June 24, 1971. After Fred's release, he buried Charmaine's body in their yard, claiming he had not dismembered her.

In late August 1971, Fred's first wife, Catherine "Rena" West, visited him to discuss the whereabouts of their children, but she was never seen alive again. It is believed she was killed by strangulation, with her body later found dismembered in plastic bags.

Rose and Fred married on January 29, 1972, and soon they moved to 25 Cromwell Street in Gloucester. Here, Rose began working as a prostitute, and her activities included sexual assault on young girls. One victim was their daughter Anne Marie, whom they began abusing sexually at the age of eight. Anne Marie was forced into prostitution at the age of 13.

The Wests also hired a young nanny, Caroline Owens, in late 1972. They abducted her, subjected her to sexual assaults, but she managed to escape after a few days. Owens reported the abuse to the police, leading to the couple's arrest on charges including indecent assault and rape, but they received only fines due to Owens' reluctance to testify.

In August 1992, Fred was arrested for raping their 13-year-old daughter, leading to the investigation of the disappearance of Heather, who had been missing since 1987. In February 1994, the police arrested Rose and Fred after discovering human remains and evidence of torture at Cromwell Street.

During Rose's trial in 1995, she maintained her innocence of the murders, claiming Fred acted alone. However, significant circumstantial evidence supported the prosecution's case against her. On November 22, 1995, she was convicted of ten murders, including that of Charmaine.

Rose was sentenced to life imprisonment with no chance of parole. She later lodged an appeal against her convictions, which was denied.