Moors Murderer Ian Brady loses lawyer tribunal fight

Brady last appeared before a mental health tribunal in 2013

Moors Murderer Ian Brady has been refused permission to launch a High Court fight to have the lawyer of his choice represent him at a tribunal.

Brady, who lost a bid to move from a secure hospital to a prison at a mental health review in 2013, wanted to challenge a ban on Robin Makin representing him at a future tribunal.

Mr Makin's solicitors' firm, E Rex Makin & Co, is not a member of the Law Society's mental health panel.

The case was dismissed as "unarguable".

Sitting at London, Mr Justice Morris said Brady's challenge had "no realistic prospect of success".

He added that nothing in the European Convention on Human Rights or in case law "supports the proposition that in civil proceedings... there is a right to publicly-funded representation for a lawyer of choice".

Solicitor Robin Makin has represented Brady in the past

At the 2013 mental health review tribunal in Manchester, 79-year-old Brady asked to be moved to a Scottish prison from Merseyside's Ashworth Hospital so he could not be force-fed and could be allowed to die if he wishes.

The request was rejected after medical staff said Brady had chronic mental illness and needed continued care at the secure unit.

Brady refused to take part in a further review in September 2016 on the grounds that Mr Makin could not be involved.

Under legal aid rules, only members of the Law Society's mental health panel are entitled to a publicly-funded contract.