Remains of Saddleworth Moors murderer Ian Brady buried at sea

THE ashes of Saddleworth Moors murderer Ian Brady have been buried at sea following his cremation with “no music and no ceremony”.

Winnie Johnson, mother of Keith Bennett whose remains were never found (Picture by Ken Bennett)

Ian Stewart-Brady, formerly Ian Brady, died on May 15, 2017 aged 79 at Ashworth secure hospital in Merseyside half a century after being found guilty of torturing and murdering children.

In October, high court judge Sir Geoffrey Vos denied the serial killer’s final wishes of having the fifth movement of the Symphony Fantastique played at his cremation.

The piece depicts an artist’s funeral, compared to a witches’ Sabbath, in the midst of a hideous gathering of shades, sorcerers and monsters of every kind.

Instead, Sir Geoffrey Vos directed that the body was cremated with “no music and no ceremony” and the remains disposed of by Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council.

Court documents show Brady’s body was collected from the mortuary at Royal Liverpool hospital by a Tameside Council official at around 9pm on 25 October.

It was taken, with a police escort, to Southport Crematorium, where the cremation took place at 10pm.

Then Brady’s ashes were placed in a weighted biodegradable urn, driven to Liverpool Marina and dispatched at sea at 2.30am.

Brady was serving life imprisonment for torturing and murdering five children between the ages of 10 and 17 in the 1960s, along with Myra Hindley who died in prison in November 2002.

Most of the bodies of their victims were buried on Saddleworth Moor, but the body of 13-year-old Keith Bennett has never been found despite extensive searches.

In a joint statement, Tameside Council and Oldham Council said: “Tameside Council and Oldham Council sought the assistance of the High Court to ensure the body of Moors Murderer Ian Stewart Brady is disposed of in a manner that did not cause offence and distress to the public, and particularly the relatives of the victims who reside in our boroughs.

“We know the relatives and residents alike found even the suggestion that his ashes may be scattered over Saddleworth Moor to be abhorrent and distressing, especially because 13-year-old Keith Bennett has never been found, despite his mother’s best efforts to locate him to give him a proper burial.

“The court has supported our duty as local authorities to ensure that public order maintained and the wishes of the families of his victims and our local communities were respected.

“We are pleased this matter is now concluded and we are grateful for the support and professionalism shown by the Royal Liverpool Mortuary, Sefton Council, Merseyside Police Force and the North West Police Underwater Search and Marine Unit in ensuring that the court order was complied to ensure Ian Stewart Brady’s body and remains were disposed of expediently at sea in a manner compatible with the public interest and those of the victim’s relatives.”

Jonathan Reynolds, MP for Stalybridge and Hyde, said: “I am relieved and thankful that the remains of Moors murderer Ian Brady have been sensitively and appropriately disposed of at sea after cremation.

“The people of Tameside and Saddleworth, especially the relatives of his victims, have been spared from the grossly insensitive suggestion he be buried on the moors.

“I would like to extend my sincere thanks to Tameside and Oldham Councils for their legal action on this matter. They have looked out for their residents. I would also like to thank the police for their dignified service in relation to this matter.

“Our thoughts can now and going forward be solely with those we lost and those who mourn them.”

 

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