Rosemary West is sent for trial accused of 10 murders

indecent assault.

Chief Metropolitan Stipendiary Magistrate Peter Badge formally

committed Mrs West, 41, a mother of seven, on the seventh day of

committal proceedings at Dursley, Gloucestershire.

Her alleged victims include her daughter Heather, 16, and

eight-year-old stepdaughter Charmaine.

Mr Badge also committed Mrs West on four new charges -- two of rape

and two of indecent assault -- involving two young women who cannot be

named for legal reasons.

The rapes and indecent assaults were said to have taken place between

January 1976 and December 1977.

Mrs West allegedly carried out the rapes jointly with her late

husband, builder Frederick West, 53, who was found hanging in his cell

at Birmingham's Winson Green Prison on New Year's Day.

But she is alone accused in the two indecent assault charges.

Mrs West was formally committed to stand trial at Bristol Crown Court,

as the area court. But it is likely that she will face trial either at

the Old Bailey or at Winchester. She will stand trial on nine charges of

murder relating to the remains of young women found in the house and

garden at her home in Cromwell Street, Gloucester, last year.

One of the victims allegedly found in the garden was Heather, who

disappeared in 1987.

The tenth murder charge concerns Charmaine, whose remains were

uncovered at the Wests' previous home in Midland Road, Gloucester.

All the murders are alleged to have taken place between 1970 and 1987.

At a brief second hearing, after Mrs West was committed for trial, the

Crown formally dropped two rape charges. Each charge accused Mrs West

and a named man of raping a girl.

The men accused with Mrs West, Mr William Smith, 68, of Southgate

Street, and Mr Whitley Purcell, 64, of Linden Road, both Gloucester,

were discharged by Mr Badge, and walked from the court.

Mrs West was remanded in custody again to Pucklechurch Remand Centre.

After the hearing, defence solicitor Leo Goatley told reporters: ''Mrs

West maintains her innocence. She strenuously denies all the charges

against her.''

Defence lawyers would seek a judicial review of Mr Badge's decision to

commit Mrs West for trial, on the grounds of prejudicial and unfair

press coverage, he said.

He had visited Mrs West and her morale was ''pretty reasonable'', Mr

Goatley said.

She was prepared for all likely scenarios and was not unduly

disappointed by yesterday's ruling.

But the evidence against her was flimsy, Mr Goatley added.

Detective Superintendent John Bennett, the officer leading the

Cromwell Street inquiry, said afterwards: ''The investigation is still

continuing and case papers for the trial will now be prepared.''

He appealed to the media to respect the privacy of relatives and

victims.

Mr Badge ruled that there was a case for Mrs West to answer before a

Crown Court jury after hearing six days of Crown and defence

submissions.

The proceedings brought national and international media attention to

Dursley, a small factory town which nestles in the lee of the Cotswolds.

Satellite dishes from international broadcasting organisations have

been daily beaming detailed reports of the proceedings overseas.