Moors Murderer Ian Brady has died aged 79
Flowers for left for Keith Bennett on Saddleworth Moor
Reporter: Stuart Littleford
Moors Murderer Ian Brady who killed five children in the 1960s has died, Ashworth Hospital has confirmed tonight.
Brady had been receiving palliative care at the secure mental hospital where he was being detained in Merseyside.
It was recently revealed that he was suffering from lung cancer.
Brady, and his co-accused Myra Hindley murdered Pauline Reade, 16, John Kilbride, 12, Keith Bennett, 12, Lesley Ann Downey, ten, and Edward Evans, 17.
The pair tortured the children in the 1960s and four of the victims were buried on Saddleworth Moor just off the A635 Holmfirth Road and in close proximity to each other.
Brady was jailed for three of the murders in 1966 he had been held at Ashworth since 1985.
Later on Brady and Hindley confessed to having committed another two murders.
The death of Brady has made it highly unlikely that the body of 12-year-old Keith Bennett will ever be found.
Terry Kilbride, whose brother John was a victim, had appealed to Brady to reveal the location of Keith’s body before he died.
Despite these pleas by many people Brady continued to maintain his silence.
Keith’s mother Winnie Johnson, who died aged 78, had spent many years visiting Saddleworth moor to try and locate his body.
Martin Bottomley, Head of Greater Manchester Police’s Cold Case Review Unit said: “Following the death of Brady, our thoughts – as they have been for over 50 years – remain with the families of all of his victims. For decades they have suffered, not only from the unimaginable loss of their loved ones but they have also had to endure years of endless stories, speculation and rumour.
“They have lived with the shadow of Brady hanging over them for so long, and have showed incredible dignity in the face of such adversity.
“I do not want to comment on Brady at all. The thoughts of everyone within Greater Manchester Police are with the families who lost loved ones in the most painful and traumatic way.
“It is especially saddening for the family of Keith Bennett that his killers did not reveal to police the whereabouts of Keith’s burial site. A week hardly goes by when we do not receive some information which purports to lead us to Keith but ultimately only two people knew where Keith is.
“I want to stress that our aim, as it always has been, is to find where Keith is buried and give closure to his surviving family members so they can give Keith the proper burial they so desperately want.
“Whilst we are not actively searching Saddleworth Moors, Greater Manchester Police will never close this case. Brady’s death does not change that. We will act on credible and actionable information that will help lead us to him.”
Author: Jude Gidney - Editor
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