Manchester Mother Wants To Face Moors Murderer

A Manchester mother has said she hopes to come "face-to-face'' with her son's killer after a judge ruled Moors murderer Ian Brady will have his mental health tribunal held in public.

Winnie Johnson, 78, of Longsight, said she wanted to be at Brady's hearing to see if he would reveal where he had buried her son Keith Bennett.

Judge Robert Atherton has granted permission for the hearing to be held in public but no date has yet been set.

Brady and his partner, Myra Hindley, were responsible for the murders of five youngsters in the 1960s. They lured children and teenagers to their deaths, with 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 snatched 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. Hindley was convicted of killing Lesley Ann and Edward and shielding Brady after John's murder, and jailed for life.

In 1987 the pair finally admitted killing Keith and Pauline. Both were taken back to Saddleworth Moor in 1987 to help police find the remains of the missing victims but only Pauline's body was found.

Keith's mother Winnie Johnson has made repeated calls for Brady to reveal the location of his grave.

She said: ``It would hurt but the point is I want to be there. The only way I can find out is going and facing him.''