West was born in Glasgow, Scotland on 25 April 1944, the son of a Squadron leader in the Royal Air Force.
[2] He was educated at Carre's Grammar School in Sleaford before returning to Scotland to study medicine at the University of Edinburgh, graduating in 1967.
[2] His early career interest was hematology but he quickly turned to forensic pathology whilst at Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge and studied with Austin Gresham.
[4] West also carried out the post-mortem examinations of the BBC TV presenter Jill Dando,[4] the British police officer Yvonne Fletcher who was shot from the Libyan embassy in 1984,[5] and Kenyan Minister for Foreign Affairs Robert Ouko.
[6] West also played a part in the release of the British soldier Lee Clegg who had been convicted for murder.