"A Severe Embarrassment to the Prison Authorities": ITN on the Inquiry Into Fred West's Death, 1995

Name: "A Severe Embarrassment to the Prison Authorities": ITN on the Inquiry Into Fred West's Death, 1995
Uploaded: 2022-01-01T00:00:00Z
Duration: 1 min 50 s
Description: An ITN report from January 1995, outside Winson Green prison in Birmingham, on how Fred West's observation had been scaled down before he was found hanged in his cell while awaiting trial. West is not heard.

An ITN report from January 1995, outside Winson Green prison in Birmingham, on how Fred West's observation had been scaled down before he was found hanged in his cell while awaiting trial. West is not heard.

Subject: Fred West
Recorded: about January 2, 1995
Runtime: 1:50

Content warning: Concerns a death in prison custody (suicide) of a man charged with 12 murders. No graphic detail.

The Interview

This is not an interview with Fred West, who is not heard. It is a short ITN news report from January 1995, filmed outside HM Prison Birmingham, known as Winson Green, probably the day after West was found dead in his cell. After a brief music intro added by ITN's archive channel, the reporter describes the police investigation and the Prison Service's account; a statement attributed to the head of the Prison Service, comments from prison officers and a remark by West's solicitor are heard.

Historical Context

Fred West was arrested in February 1994 after police searched his home at 25 Cromwell Street, Gloucester, and the remains of young women were found there and, later, at other sites. On June 30, 1994, he was charged with 12 murders. His wife, Rosemary West, was charged with nine. He was held on remand at Winson Green prison in Birmingham to await trial.

Circumstances

On January 1, 1995, West was found hanged in his cell, using a rope he had made from strips of blanket. In the early months of his remand his cell had been checked every 15 minutes; this had been relaxed before his death. Because he died before trial, he was never convicted. Rosemary West was tried at Winchester Crown Court from October 1995 and convicted in November 1995 of ten murders.

What the Recording Covers

The reporter says West Midlands Police detectives were back at the prison, and that it had emerged that West's "surveillance status had been scaled down, as prison doctors no longer considered him likely to kill himself." A statement attributed to the chief of the Prison Service says West "had not been assessed as a suicide risk," and so was not under special suicide precautions, though he was under security precautions appropriate to his alleged offenses. Prison officers say they were shocked but not embarrassed: "We can do our very best, and that's all we can do." West's solicitor says it is "very surprising" that a high-profile remand prisoner on a supervised wing could be involved in such an incident. The reporter closes by saying the decision to downgrade the observation of "such a high-profile remand prisoner" was certain to be scrutinized.

What Makes the Recording Significant

It records, probably on the day after his death, the Prison Service's own account that West's observation had been downgraded, a point of lasting controversy in the case, together with the first reactions from prison staff and his solicitor.

Archival Importance

Contemporaneous ITN coverage, posted by ITN on its own archive channel.

Important Caveats

West is not heard. The official, the prison officers and the solicitor are not named in the recording; whether the statement at 00:35 is spoken by the Prison Service chief or read by the reporter cannot be confirmed without the picture. The reporter's name is known only from the sign-off, spelling unverified. The broadcast date is inferred. The channel's title says West "committed suicide"; page copy should say he took his own life or was found hanged.

Itn Reporter: Detectives from West Midlands Police were back at the prison today, continuing their investigation into Fred West's death. The confusion over just how closely West was being monitored in Winson Green was resolved tonight by the chief of the Prison Service. It emerged West's surveillance status had been scaled down, as prison doctors no longer considered him likely to kill himself.

Chief Of The Prison Service: He had not been assessed as a suicide risk, and therefore was not subject to special suicide precautions, but was obviously subject to security precautions appropriate to his particular alleged offenses.

Itn Reporter: Prison officers coming off shift earlier said they were shocked but not embarrassed. Anyone determined enough could commit suicide.

Prison Officers: In 15 minutes, [unclear: "you're in, in" / "you already know,"] five minutes you could be dead. There's nothing much... No one, if someone's determined to take their life in prison... We can do our very best, and that's all we can do.

Itn Reporter: West's solicitor criticized the Prison Service and questioned its commitment to the safety and security of prisoners.

West'S Solicitor: [A] high-profile remand prisoner, on a prison wing which is a supervised wing, to be involved in [unclear: "this kind" / "instead of this kind"; possibly "an incident of this kind"] is very surprising.

Itn Reporter: There's little doubt that West's death is a severe embarrassment to the prison authorities, and the decision to downgrade the observation procedure for such a high-profile remand prisoner is certain to be scrutinized in any subsequent inquiry. Eric [unclear: "McInnes" / "McInnis"], ITN, Winson Green Prison. [No further speech in either source from about 01:40 to the end of the clip at 01:50.] ---