UK Child Killer's Ashes Dumped at Sea as Victim's Remains Returned 30 Years Late

The ashes of infamous child killer Ian Brady, known as the Moors Murderer, have been scattered at sea in the middle of the night after being secretly cremated. Court documents have now revealed Ian Stewart-Brady, who died aged 79, on May 15, 2017, had his body incinerated without ceremony in Southport on Wednesday, October 25.

Brady's ashes were placed in a weighted biodegradable urn, driven to Liverpool Marina and dispatched at sea on Thursday, October 26, at 2.30 BST.

Details have only now emerged that his body was collected from the mortuary at Royal Liverpool hospital by a Tameside council official around 21.00 BST.

The corpse was then driven under police escort to Southport Crematorium, where the cremation began at 22.00 BST exactly.

"We are pleased that this matter is now concluded and we are grateful for the support and professionalism show… to ensure Ian Stewart-Brady's body and remains were disposed of expediently at sea in a manner compatible with the public's interest and those of the victims' relatives," Tameside and Oldham councils said in a statement.

There was no music or flowers allowed following a court ruling to ensure his disposal did not cause "offense and distress" to his victims' families. 

There had been fears the remains of the Scottish-born murderer would be scattered on Saddleworth Moor in the north west of England, where the evil pair had earlier buried four of their victims.

Robin Makin, who had been trusted with Brady's will, had given assurances this was unlikely to happen, but Sir Geoffrey Vos, chancellor of the High Court in London, ruled in October the disposal of the body would be taken out of the executor's hands. 

Brady's Death

Brady died at Ashworth high security hospital in Maghull, Merseyside, having been there since 1985. Together with Hindley, they were convicted of luring children and teenagers to their deaths, with their victims sexually tortured before being buried on Saddleworth Moor, in the south Pennines.

An inquest into Brady's death heard he died of natural causes. Dr. Brian Rodgers, a Home Office pathologist, said it was a form of heart failure, secondary to bronchopneumonia and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or lung disease.

Brady had been a heavy smoker but was forced to quit when a smoking ban was introduced into British penal institutions.

Shock Find

Meanwhile, it has also emerged that the family of one of his victims has only recently had her remains returned to them in a casket.

Police kept Pauline Reade's body parts for 30 years without her family's knowledge.

The jawbone and samples of the teenager's hair were discovered at Leeds University after an audit there.

Greater Manchester Police delivered a wooden casket containing the teenager's remains to solicitors acting for her niece, Jackie Reade, who later spoke of her horror, saying: "It has brought it all back. I am disgusted that part of Pauline could be kept like this."

"I was 13 when Pauline was found, I remember the day very clearly. My nana and grandad, [Pauline's parents] Joan and Amos, were still alive at the time," she said.

Martin Bottomley, head of GMP's cold case unit, said the force had only recently become aware that human tissue belonging to the teenager had been stored in external premises on its behalf.

"The samples had originally been kept for investigative purposes. As soon as we became aware, we contacted Pauline's family to make arrangements so that the samples could be laid to rest in whichever way they felt most fitting," he said.

The Moors Murders

Brady's crimes shocked Britain as he tortured and murdered five children in the 1960s along with Myra Hindley, who died in prison in 2002.

Their victims were Pauline Reade, 16, who disappeared on her way to a disco on 12 July 1963, and John Kilbride, 12, who was snatched in November the same year. Keith Bennett was taken on 16 June 1964 after he left home to visit his grandmother, Lesley Ann Downey, 10, was lured away from a fun-fair on Boxing Day, 1964, and Edward Evans, 17, was killed on October 1965.

Brady was given whole life sentences for the murders of John, Lesley Ann and Edward. Hindley was convicted of killing Lesley Ann and Edward and shielding Brady after John's murder, and jailed for life.

Both confessed later to the murders of Pauline, whose body was only found in 1987, and Keith, whose body has never been discovered. Winnie Johnson, the mother of Keith Bennett, had repeatedly begged Brady to identify where the 12-year-old was located in order she could give him a proper burial. She received no reply, however and died in August 2012 without being able to carry out her final wish.