‘No likelihood’ Brady’s ashes will be left on Saddleworth Moor

Lawyers representing Moors Murderer Ian Brady have said there is "no likelihood" his ashes will be scattered on Saddleworth Moor.

It was feared that his remains could be taken to the place where some of his victims were buried.

The notorious paedophile and child killer died on Monday at a secure hospital on Merseyside.

On Tuesday, at an inquest held in Southport, a coroner asked for guarantees that Brady’s remains would not be taken to the place where he and Myra Hindley left the bodies of three of his victims before he would release the murderer’s body.

The remains of Pauline Reade, John Kilbride and Lesley Ann Downey were found on Saddleworth Moor, about six miles (10km) east of Oldham.

It is feared another victim, Keith Bennett, may be buried there too, but Brady refused to say so before his death.

At a further hearing on Wednesday, the executor of Brady’s will made known his feelings about the restrictions but offered some reassurance.

Sky’s Nick Martin, in Southport, said: "What we’ve seen… is the coroner locking horns with Ian Brady’s executor, the lawyer Ian Makin.

"One of the coroner’s officers read a statement from Ian Brady’s executor and it started by saying he was rather unhappy with the prescriptive demands of the coroner…

"But he did say, quite crucially, that there would be no likelihood Ian Brady’s ashes would be scattered on Saddleworth Moor.

"If you were to split hairs, it was not an assurance. The coroner has no legal right to dictate what Ian Brady wants to do with his ashes if it’s stipulated in his will, which remains private.

"Ian Brady’s lawyer knew that, he expressed that, but he did say to try and temper down any potential furore that there was no likelihood that it would happen."

Reacting to the pledge, John Kilbride’s brother Terry told Sky News: "He should be buried within the prison walls. We know he was in hospital for a long time but he was in prison for a long time.

"Throughout history, every inmate who has committed heinous crimes like these has been buried within the prison walls."

Martin said the coroner, Christopher Sumner, struggled to hide his emotions in Wednesday’s hearing, saying at one point: "Why should he have had human rights when he denied human rights to his victims."

Merseyside Police said it expected to have no role in guarding Ian Brady’s body once it is handed over to a funeral directors.

The coroner said the executor has until 2pm tomorrow to find someone prepared to take on the role of arranging a funeral.

It emerged in the hearing that Brady died of a chest infection and pneumonia.

It was also revealed that among the requests Brady had made was that the name on his death certificate be changed from Ian Stewart, which is how he has been known for some years, to Ian Stewart-Brady.

The full inquest will take place on 29 June.

(c) Sky News 2017: ‘No likelihood’ Brady’s ashes will be left on Saddleworth Moor