Brady: Moors murders ‘petty’ compared to political crimes

Moors murderer Ian Brady made his first public appearance in over 50 years, claiming his murder of five children was “petty” compared to the crimes committed by politicians.

Brady, 75, wants to go to prison so he is “free to end his life”, a mental health tribunal heard.

Brady wants to be judged sane so he can be transferred to prison from the maximum security Ashworth Hospital.

The murderer, who has been on hunger strike since 1999 and is force-fed through a tube, claims he has faked psychotic episodes in the past, the tribunal heard.

The hearing, held in a room inside Ashworth and relayed by video to Manchester Civil Justice Centre where journalists and victims’ relatives watched on TV screens, gave the first public sighting of the child killer in decades.

He and partner Myra Hindley were responsible for the murders of five youngsters in the 1960s.

He sat hunched over, elbows leaning on the desk in front of him, between two female members of his legal team. A tube crossed his cheek, going into his right nostril and at times he appeared to be making notes off-screen with his right hand.

He spoke briefly, in a gravelly, Scottish accent, at the start of the hearing.

Expert witness Dr Adrian Grounds, a criminologist, told the hearing that Brady claimed he was feigning mental illness, having learned the symptoms while working as a cleaner inside Wormwood Scrubs jail and adopting “acting techniques”.

He said Brady was of the view that “he could not be force-fed” if he is moved to prison.

His conclusion was that evidence of psychosis was “equivocal” and, as Brady had received no treatment for such a condition, it showed they had not reached the threshold for compulsory treatment.

Forensic psychiatrist Dr Cameron Boyd, the medical member of the panel, conducted four interviews with Brady in recent months. Dr Boyd said: “I asked about previous behaviour that might be seen as abnormal, regarding to his offences.

“He said it was an existential exercise, personal philosophy and interpretation and in some way his behaviour was petty compared to politicians and soldiers in relation to wars.”

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

The hearing continues.