Shivangi Sinha
When the horrific revelations about Fred and Rose West from Gloucester emerged in 1994, the sheer scale of their crimes was almost impossible to comprehend. Even more disturbing were the accounts of the severe abuse endured by their children. Over the years, several of them have come forward to share their experiences, including Mae West, the couple’s eldest surviving daughter. As the oldest among her siblings, Mae’s perspective became especially significant. She has spoken out in various interviews and on various platforms about the lasting impact the trauma has had on her life. In Netflix’s ‘Fred and Rose West: A British Horror Story,’ Mae is recognized as a central figure in the narrative, with her voice playing a key role in shedding light on the family’s dark history.
Mae West Was Informed by the Police That Her Father Had Killed Her Sister
Mae West was born on June 1, 1972, to Fred and Rose West. At the time, the couple was already raising their older daughter, Heather West, and living at the now-infamous 25 Cromwell Street in Gloucester. Fred’s daughter from a previous marriage, Anne Marie West, also lived with them. It has been alleged that not long after Mae’s birth, Rose began engaging in sex work. Mae shared a close bond with her siblings, particularly Heather and their younger brother, Stephen West. In 1979, after Anne fled the home, it is believed that Fred redirected his abuse toward Heather and Mae.
In multiple interviews, Mae has spoken openly about the harrowing abuse she endured in her childhood and how her mother was fully aware of what was happening. She described how her father would play extremely graphic adult films in front of the children, and how disturbing items were often found scattered throughout the house. She even alleged that she had been molested by her uncle, John West. Mae explained that she, Heather, and their younger brother Stephen made a pact to never be left alone with their father and constantly looked out for one another. She and Heather had even planned to run away together once they turned sixteen. Tragically, Heather vanished in June 1986 before they could act on their plan. Mae recalled that her father gave strange, evasive explanations for her sister’s disappearance and was unwilling to go to the police.
Mae eventually left her family home and began building a life of her own. She secured a job as a secretary to a managing director, entered a stable relationship with a man named Rob, bought a car, and even signed her first mortgage with him. However, on February 26, 1994, everything changed when the police began excavating the backyard of her childhood home. Mae received a panicked phone call from her mother, and it was through the authorities that she learned her sister Heather had been murdered by their father. Struggling to come to terms with the revelation, Mae moved into a safe house with her mother, unaware that their conversations were being recorded. Initially, she tried to believe that her mother had been manipulated and was not involved, but it soon became painfully clear that Rose had been complicit in the horrors all along.
Mae West is No Longer in Contact With Her Mother
The months and years following the shocking revelations were incredibly difficult for Mae West and her remaining family. She spoke about her experiences in a newspaper interview and even co-wrote a book with her brother Stephen. However, after that, she withdrew from the public eye. She changed her name and even underwent a cosmetic procedure to remove a distinct beauty mark from her face, hoping to lead a more anonymous life. Although she initially stayed in contact with her mother after her arrest, that relationship also came to an end. In 2006, after Mae confronted Rose with difficult questions about the past, Rose abruptly cut off all communication.
Mae later shared that she came to understand how manipulative her mother had been. She recalled how Rose had been emotionally cold and unaffectionate throughout her childhood, yet acted overly affectionate and demanding during prison visits. In 2011, a television series dramatizing the crimes of her parents was in development. Mae openly supported the project, expressing no reservations about its production. She believed it was vital for the truth to be told, emphasizing that the world needed to confront the darker realities within it, no matter how uncomfortable. Her relationship with Rob eventually ended due to the emotional turmoil and public scrutiny that followed her parents’ arrest.
Despite this, she was able to find love again with Pete, whom she met while working at an insurance company. In 2013, Mae gave birth to her second child, a son named Luke. She already had a daughter, Amy, who was born in the early 2000s. Following Luke’s birth, Mae developed agoraphobia—a mental health condition where a person experiences intense fear of situations or places that may feel difficult to escape from, often leading them to avoid leaving home altogether. Recognizing her need for support, she sought help from Victim Support and began attending weekly counselling sessions. She committed herself to healing and rebuilding her sense of safety and stability.
Mae West is Leading a Quiet Life With Her Husband and Children Today
Mae continues to live a quiet, private life away from the spotlight. She resides in a rural English town with her husband and takes great pride in her two children, both of whom have grown up to be remarkable individuals. Returning to work in retail marked a significant personal milestone for Mae and is a step forward in reclaiming a sense of normalcy. Though she no longer publicly discusses her emotions, explaining that each of her siblings went through different experiences, she remains deeply connected to her family. She has said she speaks with her sister Louise every day, and that bond continues to be a source of strength.
She is also a published author. Her book, ‘Love as Always, Mum xxx,’ was inspired by the letters her mother wrote to her from prison. In reflecting on her past, Mae has openly shared that she learned to suppress her emotions from a young age, and it is a coping mechanism she still relies on today. Nonetheless, it appears she has found a measure of peace in her current life, surrounded by her family and the stability she has worked hard to build.
Read More: Caroline Owens: What Happened to Fred and Rose West’s Survivor?
