Gloucester Citizen editor Spencer Feeney has spoken out about three planned TV documentaries about serial killer Fred West.

Channel 5 is currently making a documentary using tapes of police interviews with the murderer, and two other documentaries are also in production, both of which will be broadcast on Channel 4.

This has led to widespread condemnation of the programmes, although Mr Feeney has taken a more liberal stance.

Commenting in the paper, he said: “The news that no less than three television programmes are being made about Fred and Rosemary West will cause great anger and distress in Gloucester.

“The wounds left by the Wests are still raw here. The families of the Wests’ victims – and that includes the Wests’ own children – will be devastated.

“The Citizen fought hard to get Channel 5 to abandon its original tasteless plan to make a mini-series about the Wests.

“Apparently this new programme is a documentary, and we’ll all have to wait and see it before being able to comment on its content.

“We have to recognise that there is a genuine public interest in the way the Wests were able to get away with their appalling crimes for so long, and in the police investigation that led to their arrest.

“But many people will feel that now is still too soon after these events. Only recently have TV channels felt able to broadcast programmes about the Yorkshire Ripper – 20 years after those crimes.

“For the families of the Wests’ victims, of course, there will never be a ‘right time’ for these programmes.”

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