Ian Brady 'did not want his ashes scattered on moor', inquest hears

Ian Brady died at Ashworth Hospital in Merseyside on Monday

Ian Brady's ashes will not be scattered on Saddleworth Moor, the inquest into his death has heard.

The hearing was told the Moors Murderer's solicitor, Robin Makin, had given assurances "there is no likelihood" it would happen.

On Tuesday, Coroner Christopher Sumner said Brady's body would not be released until such a guarantee was made.

Brady, who tortured and killed five children with his lover Myra Hindley, buried four of his victims on the moor.

The body of the serial killer who died at Ashworth Hospital, a secure psychiatric unit in Merseyside on Monday, is under police guard at a mortuary.

Mr Sumner said the remains of the 79-year-old will be released at 14:00 BST on Thursday.

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The inquest at Southport Town Hall heard Merseyside Police asked for the release of the body to be delayed in order for funeral arrangements to be made by Mr Makin, the executor of Brady's will.

Michael Armstrong, counsel for the force, said: "The deceased's body is currently under police guard.

"Upon release to the executor the police will no longer be in a position to provide any assurances in respect of the safety of the body."

Christopher Sumner said he would deal with the inquest in a "full, frank and fearless manner"

The coroner said he would delay the release of the body for almost 24 hours to allow the police time to "negotiate" with Mr Makin about funeral arrangements.

Merseyside Police's Assistant Chief Constable Julie Cooke said in a statement after the hearing: "Brady has long been a person of public interest who throughout his lifetime was reviled by the public due to the appalling and heinous crimes he committed.

"In view of the abhorrent nature of the offences he committed and in order to protect the public interest and the relatives of his victims, we made representations to the coroner in a bid to ensure that the remains would be disposed of in a manner which may not offend those interests."

Mr Makin had called for the inquest to be concluded immediately as a post-mortem examination had proved Brady - who was also know as Ian Stewart-Brady - died of natural causes.

However, Mr Sumner refused and said he would deal with the inquest in a "full, frank and fearless manner".

The hearing was told Brady's cause of death was cor pulmonale, a form of heart failure, secondary to bronchopneumonia and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or lung disease.

Mr Sumner said a full inquest would be held on 29 June.

Brady, who along with Hindley became known as the Moors Murderers, was jailed in 1966 for the killing of John Kilbride, aged 12, Lesley Ann Downey, 10, and Edward Evans, 17.

In 1985 he also admitted to the murders of Pauline Reade, 16, and Keith Bennett, who was 12, although he was never tried for those crimes.

Born in Glasgow in 1938, Brady later moved to Manchester, where he met Hindley, and died at Ashworth Hospital, where he was detained from 1985 onwards.