Fred West's official biographer has "no doubt" he was behind Mary Bastholm disappearance
Geoffrey Wansell "hopes and prays" potential remains are of the 15-year-old
Last updated 13th May 2021
Fred West's official biographer believes if remains are found in a Gloucester cafe he has "no doubt" they are of Mary Bastholm.
The 15-year-old was last seen at a bus stop on Bristol Road in Gloucester in 1968 before she disappeared.
It's been believed for many years she was offered a lift by Fred West before she disappeared but her body has never been found.
Police are set to begin excavation works at the Clean Plate café on Southgate Street, Gloucester after a documentary crew reported they found evidence which suggested a body is buried within the property.
True crime author Geoffrey Wansell, who wrote 'An Evil Love, The Life of Frederick West', said:
"She Mary has connections with the cafe, with Fred West and West's then nanny Anne McFall.
"They new each other and West worked and had been to the cafe regularly.
"Mary Bastholm was very much West's cup of tea but I think there's still a way to go before we can be absolutely certain".
Gloucestershire Police were called to the site on Friday May 7 after being alerted by the documentary crew.
A white tent has been erected outside and at the rear of the cafe as they begin their investigations which could last for "a number of weeks".
Along with his wife Rose, West tortured, raped and murdered an unknown number of women over a 20-year period.
The couple were apprehended and charged with the murders of 11 women in 1994.
Fred West killed himself whilst on remand in prison in 1995 before he went to trail and Rose was convicted of ten murders and sentenced to ten life terms and a whole life order.
Geoffrey says "he questions" whether Rose had any involvement in the disappearance of Mary Bastholm:
"Rose really wasn't on Fred's horizon at the timing when Mary Bastholm disappeared.
"If anyone helped Fred or persuaded Mary to get into the car it would probably have been Anne McFall and not Rosemary West.
"He [Fred} would have used the same system he did with Rose which was take a woman out with you and a naive and potentially vulnerable young women will get into the car and not worry about anything".
Mary’s disappearance in 1968 was at a time when Fred West, who often did jobs in the street where she worked as a waitress in a cafe, was abducting girls in Gloucester.
Fred West is said to have confessed to killing Mary in conversation with his son, Stephen, but never admitted it to police.
Mary’s body was not found during the 1994 excavation of the West’s home, now known as the “House of Horrors”, on Cromwell Street in Gloucester.
Geoffrey believes we may never know if Fred is responsible for Mary's death:
"In his conversations with his then solicitor he suggested that perhaps there was a connection.
"An in an alleged conversation with his son Stephen there was also the suggestion that he may have know about Mary Bastholm's disappearance.
"So we haven't got conclusive proof that he was involved".