The meeting of two of Britain’s most notorious female criminals, Rose West and Myra Hindley, has long fascinated the public.
Both infamous for their horrific crimes, they crossed paths in Durham Prison in the mid-1990s — sparking rumors about the nature of their relationship behind bars.
The Rumored Affair That Gripped Public Imagination
For years, it was widely believed that Rose West, the Cromwell Street killer, and Myra Hindley, the Moors Murderer, shared a brief romantic relationship during their time together in prison.
This story became so ingrained in popular culture that it even inspired a 2020 documentary, Rose West and Myra Hindley – the Untold Story, narrated by Trevor McDonald.
The tagline hinted at a deep connection: “The extraordinary story of how the two most notorious women in British crime became friends and lovers.”
Rose West Sets the Record Straight for the First Time
Now, for the very first time, Rose West has directly addressed these rumors—and she emphatically denies the affair ever happened.
Writing from her cell at HMP New Hall in Wakefield, where she now lives under the name Jennifer Jones, West was prompted to respond after receiving a letter from a young criminology student curious about her relationship with Hindley.
In her letter, West didn’t just deny the rumors; she blasted the media and those who blindly accept such stories.
“I had nothing to do with her,” she wrote bluntly.
Her response was laced with sarcasm and frustration, mocking how easily people swallow sensationalist stories spun by the press.
A Fiery Letter to a Curious Student
West’s letter didn’t hold back. She scolded the student for believing everything the media prints without question.
“I don’t care if you don’t believe me – after all, what the press and media says MUST be true,” she wrote, dripping with irony.
She went on to accuse the media of exploiting their power and influence to shape public perception, warning the student not to be a “sucker” for these tales.
She even urged the student to focus on “something a lot more wholesome, productive and worthwhile” rather than obsessing over gruesome crimes.
West closed the letter by telling the student not to bother writing again, as her previous letters were simply shredded.
The Student’s Surprising Response
The criminology student, who wished to remain anonymous, shared his experience with MailOnline. He said he was initially fascinated by female killers and wanted to understand more about Hindley and West’s interactions.
After no reply to his first letter, he sent a second, asking more detailed questions about Hindley and even speculating on whether Fred West might have been homosexual, given his victims were all girls or women.
Receiving West’s reply shocked him. “I was quite surprised to get a reply from her, and I was quite shocked by how angry and venomous she came across,” he said.
It became clear that West wanted to distance herself from Hindley, growing more irate especially over the insinuation about Fred West’s sexuality.
How West and Hindley’s Crimes Shook Britain
Myra Hindley died in 2002 after spending decades in prison for the brutal murders of children in the 1960s alongside her boyfriend Ian Brady.
Rose West was sentenced to life for murdering ten young women, including her own daughter, with her husband Fred West who died before trial.
Now elderly and reportedly frail, West spends most of her time alone, quietly knitting and watching nature documentaries in her cell, a far cry from the terror she inflicted decades ago.
The Origins of the Affair Rumor and Other Perspectives
The rumored relationship between West and Hindley was never officially confirmed.
Hindley herself protested the stories, filing complaints that accused the media of fabricating lies — though these were dismissed.
Interestingly, West’s former solicitor Leo Goatley claimed in a 2019 book that the two women did have a short affair in prison.
He said West told him she preferred women for their “softness and sensuality” and admitted to several lesbian relationships while incarcerated.
Another former inmate, Linda Calvey, also recalled their unusual friendship in a documentary, describing how the pair became inseparable for a short time — before splitting amid mistrust.
Lasting Legacy in True Crime Culture
The horrifying crimes of the Wests have been revisited in popular true crime media, including a recent Netflix docuseries, Fred and Rose West: A British Horror Story, which dives into their gruesome murders and the dark history of their notorious home.
Despite her denials and the passage of time, Rose West remains one of Britain’s most infamous criminals, her life behind bars still shrouded in mystery and public fascination.