Full Breakdown
Rose West’s Deteriorating Health Triggers Emergency Evacuation Plan in Prison
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event: Health decline and Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan (PEEP)
Rose West, 72, has been placed on a Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan (PEEP) at HMP New Hall, West Yorkshire, after a source reported that she “can now barely move.” The PEEP requires staff to plot a safe escape route, assign specific officers, and keep a wheelchair ready in case of fire or another emergency. The plan is described as “extremely rare” and is typically used only for inmates whose disabilities would prevent self-evacuation.
Background & Context: Crimes, conviction and imprisonment
West was sentenced to a whole-life term in 1995 for her role in the murders of at least ten women and girls between 1967 and 1987, crimes committed with her husband Fred West at their Gloucester home, 25 Cromwell Street. The couple’s “house of horrors” housed victims such as Charmaine West (aged 8), Lynda Gough, Carole Ann Cooper (who disappeared after getting on a bus on November 10, 1973), Lucy Partington, Therese Siegenthaler, Shirley Hubbard, Juanita Mott, Shirley Anne Robinson, Alison Chambers, Heather West (aged 16) and others. Fred West died by suicide on January 1, 1995 while awaiting trial.
Data & Statistics
- Known victims linked to the Wests: 12 people (including Fred’s former partner Ann McFall and first wife Catherine Costello).
- Victims’ ages ranged from 8 years (Charmaine) to 21 years (Lucy Partington).
- West’s weight was reported at 18 stone after a period of “dangerously overweight” eating habits.
- Prison privileges include a television, DVDs, computer games and a £20 weekly canteen allowance.
Official Statements & Responses
The spokesperson confirmed the implementation of the PEEP and noted that staff are required to assist West during any emergency evacuation.
Verbatim Quotes
- “I’m glad I said it because it put a stop to it. It made me feel… not powerful but I kind of became a little bit smug and I came in with a bit of a gangster’s walk and with a bit of an attitude.” — Images Charlotte — Charlotte, former schoolmate
- “I heard the news over the Christmas holidays and I remember thinking, ‘Oh my god’ because I knew it was going to be mentioned in school. I got to school and people were like, ‘I’m so sorry about your uncle’ and I felt like I had to keep it up. I was like, ‘Thanks so much, difficult time’ and I felt really awkward having to pretend to mourn a serial killer.” — HMP Birmingham. She — Charlotte, former schoolmate
Why It Matters
The activation of a PEEP for a high-profile inmate underscores the prison system’s duty of care, even for individuals convicted of the most serious offenses. West’s condition, combined with her history of disciplinary incidents—including a prior allegation of sexual assault on a younger inmate—raises questions about the balance between security, rehabilitation, and humane treatment within the UK prison system.