Manchester Consistory Court refuses excavation of grave to seek evidence left by Ian Brady

Background

Almost four and a half years ago, the Sunday People[1] carried the headline “Cops Investigate Dramatic New Moors Murders Evidence”, with a subtitle that claimed “A DRAMATIC breakthrough in the Moors Murders case has given the mum of missing victim Keith Bennett fresh hope his body will be found”. This was backed by the testimony of former pub landlady, Marilyn Timberlake, then 61, which stated that in 1964 she witnessed two people, one of whom she identified as Ian Brady, carrying a heavy hessian sack though St James churchyard and burying it in one of the graves. The newspaper report suggested that the sack was large enough to hold a body. The Greater Manchester Police were informed and a spokesperson is reported to have said: “[w]e have had a report about possible new information regarding the graveyard and officers will be looking at this before deciding what further action should be taken”.

Consistory Court petition

On 2 December 2014, the Rector and churchwardens of St James petitioned for a faculty to: Continue reading →