Evil moors murderer Ian Brady acutely ill in hospital

Brady, who was born in Glasgow, is due to attend a mental health tribunal on Monday regarding his application to be transferred to a Scottish prison and be allowed to die.

But his appearance at that hearing is now in doubt after he was taken ill at the high-security Ashworth Hospital in Merseyside where he has spent the past 25 years.

A hospital spokesman said: “Ian Brady, a patient at Ashworth Hospital, has been admitted to a general hospital after becoming acutely physically unwell on the ward.

“He is undergoing a series of tests and, as a precaution, he will be kept in.

“Ian Brady, 74, is in a single room and will be accompanied in that room at all times by two nurses from Ashworth Hospital. Two other members of Ashworth Hospital staff will also be on duty outside his room throughout his stay in the general hospital.

“It is too soon to provide a comment about his condition.”

Brady has been tube-fed since refusing food 12 years ago and is believed to be on a respirator for breathing problems.

His solicitor, Richard Nicholas, confirmed his client was in hospital but said he could not comment any further on the circumstances.

He said the tribunal “was obviously very important”, adding: “We are waiting for a decision. We hope it’s not going to be affected.”

It is understood Brady was taken to Fazakerley Hospital in Aintree, shortly after 2pm on Monday. There is now a massive security presence at the hospital.

The news emerged after a solicitor acting on behalf of the mother of victim Keith Bennett, whose body is still to be found, said she would not be attending the mental health tribunal as it would be “too traumatic”.

Last December, Winnie Johnson, 78, from Longsight, Manchester, said she hoped to come “face to face” with her son’s killer after a judge ruled Brady’s tribunal would be held in public.

But her solicitor, John Ainley, senior partner at North Ainley Halliwell, said Mrs Johnson was currently in hospital and not well enough to attend.

He added: “In any event, it would be too traumatic for her to have any involvement in a hearing that deals with Ian Brady.

“Winnie has made it perfectly clear over the years that she considers Ian Brady should remain in a mental hospital for the remainder of his natural life and not be transferred to a prison either in England or Scotland.”

Mr Ainley said his client still wanted information from the murderer. “She has only one question to ask Ian Brady. That is ‘Where is my son Keith’?”

Brady and his partner, Myra Hindley lured five children and teenagers to their deaths, with the victims sexually tortured before being buried on Saddleworth Moor above Manchester.

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

Brady was given life at Chester Assizes in 1966 for the murders of John, Lesley Ann and Edward while Hindley was convicted of killing Lesley Ann and Edward and shielding Brady after John’s murder, and also jailed for life.

In 1987 the pair finally admitted killing Keith and Pauline. Hindley died in jail in November 2002.