THE family of Moors Murder victim Keith Bennett has hit out at a website selling a festive card and personal letters penned by evil child killer Ian Brady.
And in testament to their unbreakable spirit they say they hold out hope that 2025 will be the year they finally obtain information that will lead them to Keith’s body – which has never been found since his disappearance 60 years ago.
Ian Brady was a twisted serial killer who murdered five children in the 60s
This Christmas card from evil Brady is up for sale on a murder memorabilia website along with other personal items
EPAKeith Bennett was killed by Ian Brady age 12 but his body has never been found[/caption]
It comes after The Sun uncovered a vile website – which we have chosen not to publicise – selling a signed Christmas card from depraved Brady for $550 (£440) and personal letters for $495 (£400) and $550 each over the festive period.
The Christmas card reads: “With best wishes for Christmas and the New Year” and then Brady pens a handwritten note “Thanks for card. No change here,” before signing it. It’s not known who the card was to.
The card comes with an official note showing it was sent from Ashworth High Security hospital in Merseyside, where the monster was held during the latter part of his life sentence from 1985 until his death in 2017.
In response to the sick find, the lawyer for the Bennett family, John Ainley told The Sun: “My client finds it hard to believe that someone would buy any items previously owned or sent by Ian Brady who was a paedophile and convicted serial killer.
“Trading in such items shows a lack of empathy with the families of children murdered by Ian Brady and Myra Hindley.”
Keith’s brother and closest surviving relative Alan Bennett also hit out at anyone buying the items.
“I just want to say if you were successful in obtaining any of these items you must be a sad, pathetic and sick individual,” he said in an social media post.
Sadistic Brady and lover Myra Hindley killed five children between 1963 and 1965 in a terrifying killing spree – including Pauline Reade, 16, John Kilbride, 12, Lesley Ann Downey, 10, and Edward Evans, 17.
Most of their young victims were buried on Saddleworth Moor in the South Pennines but Keith’s body was never found despite Hindley and Brady confessing to his murder.
Police have carried out many unsuccessful searches for the body on the bleak moorland, which is located 15 miles away from Chorlton-on-Medlock, Manchester, where young Keith went missing.
Detectives launched a search for the body again in October 2022 but stopped after an author and investigator named Russell Edwards claimed he was convinced he had found Keith’s remains.
However police called the search off after finding no evidence of human remains.
Map showing the location Keith’s body is believed to be buried
The decades-long mystery has tortured family members desperate to give Keith proper final resting place – including Keith’s mum Winnie, who died in 2012 age 78 after campaigning tirelessly to get Brady to reveal where he buried his body.
Brave Winnie even went up to the moor herself with a spade trying to find him.
In 2023, Brady’s close confidante and legal heir Dr Alan Keightley, died aged 79 following a seizure, and many believe the last chance to find Keith’s body died with him.
Brady is thought to have shared all his darkest secrets with Keightley including the location of Keith’s body – and after his death the Bennett family’s lawyer Ainley made a plea for any information or files held by his estate to be handed to them or the police.
Now Ainley has confirmed to The Sun that they have received nothing from Keightley’s estate over the past 18 months since his death.
AlamyKeith’s mum Winnie on Saddleworth Moor looking for her son’s body in 1988[/caption]
RexBrady’s best pal Alan Keightley is believed to have information about Keith’s burial place but died in 2023[/caption]
PAPolice relaunched the search for Keith’s body in 2022[/caption]
At the time of Keightley’s death, Ainley told The Sun how the academic had refused to help the Bennett family or even co-operate with police during his lifetime – but renewed pleas for any information to be handed in.
While Ainley revealed that they have received nothing to date – he said the family does hold out hope that some new information may surface this year that could lead to Keith’s body been found and the family finally receiving some closure.
“We have no recent information as to documents formerly held by Alan Keightley or passed on after Brady died,” he said.
“My client remains hopeful that some information will emerge this year that would help find the body of his brother Keith.
“He is constantly in his thoughts and continues the search for Keith which was so poignantly pursued by his mother Winnie during her lifetime.”
Both Brady and Hindley were both jailed for life for their heinous crimes.
“My client remains hopeful that some information will emerge this year that would help find the body of his brother Keith.
John Ainley lawyer for Alan Bennett
Glasgow-born Brady died at Ashworth Hospital aged 79 after receiving palliative care for a lung and chest disease.
He was transferred to the hospital from prison after being diagnosed as a psychopath.
Hindley died in November 2002 after a heart attack aged 60.
The Sun has reached out to the website selling the Brady items.
Keightley’s wife Joan has previously declined to comment when approached by The Sun.
Hulton Archive – GettyLesley Ann Downey was another victim of Ian Brady and Myra Hindley[/caption]
PA:Press AssociationThis shows Brady and Hindley on the moor where they buried their victims[/caption] Published: [#item_custom_pubDate]
