An ITV drama featuring The Wire’s Dominic West will lift the lid on the relationship between serial killer Fred West and the social worker he confided in, it emerged yesterday.
Producers have spent three years painstakingly researching the ‘docu-drama’ that focuses on the period between monster West’s arrest and his suicide in 1995.
The two-part show, which is due to be aired next month, tells the ”untold story of how Fred and Rosemary West were brought to justice”.
It also shows the role of Janet Leach, played by Emily Watson, who was installed as an ”appropriate adult” – who represent the interests of accused during police interview – to extract information on the killings.
Mrs Leach was a voluntary worker who listened to the horrific confessions in spring 1994. During her time as appropriate adult she listened to over 40 interviews and West refused to talk to anyone else when she was not present.
Dominic West, who plays Jimmy McNulty in US hit The Wire, will play the role of West while Gosford Park’s Emily Watson takes the role of Janet Leach.
Monica Dolan stars Fred’s wife Rose, who is currently serving life at HMP Low Newton, Durham, for the murders of 10 young women.
Executive producer Jeff Pope said: ”Our intention is to produce a sober and thought provoking drama based on a true story.
”We have developed the script over the past three years and it provides a unique insight into the police investigation which led to the conviction of Fred and Rose West and the crucial role Janet Leach played as the ‘appropriate adult’.”
Between 1967 and 1987 Fred and Rose tortured, raped and murdered at least 12 young women and girls, many at the couple’s home at 25 Cromwell Street, Gloucester, where many of the victims were buried under the patio.
West confessed, retracted and then re-confessed to the murder of his daughter and wife Rose was arrested in April 1994 on sex offences but later charged with murder.
He was charged with a total of 12 murders and his wife with 10 and he hanged himself on January 1, 1995, while on remand in his cell at Winson Green Prison in Birmingham.
