UK

Moors Murderer Ian Brady claimed he was a ‘petty criminal’ in 2013

Brady compared his ‘recreational killings’ to the acts of soldiers and politicians

Photograph from 1965 of Ian Brady while in police custody prior to his court appearance for the Moors Murders. Photograph: PA Wire

Tue May 16 2017 - 06:48

Moors Murderer Ian Brady claimed he was a "petty criminal" when he spoke for the first time at length about his crimes.

The child killer was appearing in front of a mental health tribunal in 2013 as part of a failed attempt to serve the rest of his whole life term in prison rather than a maximum security hospital.

He died on Monday at the Ashworth High Secure Hospital, Merseyside, where he had been held since 1985.

Speaking at the tribunal nearly four years ago, Brady compared what he described as “recreational killings” to the acts of soldiers and politicians, saying that he carried out the acts for “existential experience”.

READ MORE

Then 75 years of age, Brady compared himself to a monkey in a cage being poked with a stick as he said:

“You cannot make plans when you have no freedom of control, movement or anything.”

As part of a rambling four-hour testimony, the dark-suited Brady compared himself to Jack the Ripper, and reminisced about his time in prison with the likes of the Kray twins and the Great Train Robbers.

He claimed he was a "petty criminal" compared to the supposed "war crimes" of former UK prime minister Tony Blair in Iraq.

“Most people don’t recognise the fact that Britain is a psychopathic country. It’s been invading countries for the last 300 years,” Brady said.

He said: “I know precisely what to expect in prison. I know what my plans are. They are nothing to do with anyone else.

“I have never applied for parole and I never will. Freedom or parole does not enter my sphere of thought.

“I know that I am in until death. I have known from day one that I’m finished... I’m finished. I’ve got no ambitions.”

Undated handout file photo from the Public Records Office of Moors Murderer Ian Brady, who has died at the age of 79. Photograph: Public Records Office/PA Wire

Brady and his partner, Myra Hindley, were convicted of luring children and teenagers to their deaths, with their victims sexually tortured before being buried on Saddleworth Moor.

Pauline Reade (16) disappeared on her way to a disco on July 12th, 1963 and John Kilbride (12) was taken in November the same year.

Keith Bennett was taken on June 16th, 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 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 later confessed to the murders of Pauline - whose body was found in 1987 - and Keith, whose body has not been discovered.

Hindley died in hospital, still a prisoner, in November 2002 at the age of 60.

PA

LATEST STORIES