Moors Murderer Ian Brady's body released from mortuary

Ian Brady tortured and killed five children with his lover Myra Hindley

Moors Murderer Ian Brady's body has been released to his lawyer, a coroner has confirmed.

The serial killer's corpse was under police guard while arrangements were made to transfer his remains to Robin Makin, the executor of his will.

Brady, who tortured and killed five children with lover Myra Hindley, was jailed in 1966. He died on Monday.

Coroner Christopher Sumner had delayed the release until "assurances" about Brady's funeral arrangements were made.

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The 79-year-old serial killer died at Ashworth Hospital, a secure psychiatric unit in Merseyside.

A Sefton Council spokesman confirmed a mortuary release form had been sent to the location where Brady's remains were being held, understood to be the Royal Liverpool University Hospital.

Brady and Hindley were jailed for life in 1966

At the opening of an inquest on Tuesday senior coroner Mr Sumner refused to release the body until he was satisfied that a funeral director and crematorium willing to take it had been found.

He also asked for an assurance Brady's ashes would not be scattered on Saddleworth Moor where the bodies of four victims were found.

At a reconvened hearing on Wednesday, the coroner's court heard Mr Makin had said there was "no likelihood" this would happen.

Brady and Hindley were jailed for life for the killings of John Kilbride, 12, Lesley Ann Downey, 10, and Edward Evans, 17.

Christopher Sumner said a full inquest would be held on 29 June

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.

The inquest at Southport town hall 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.

A Merseyside Police spokesman said the transfer of the body to Mr Makin ended its involvement.