Insight into life of Moors murderer
Updated on 11 June 2008
New documents about Moors murderer Myra Hindley have revealed details of her life in prison.
Hindley and her lover Ian Brady were jailed for life in 1966 in connection with the murders of five young people, aged ten to 17, in and around Manchester in the early 1960s.
It has now been revealed that she pleaded to be hypnotised to remember where one of the victims, 12-year-old Keith Bennett, was buried.
Keith's mother, Winifred Johnson, contacted Hindley in prison more than 20 years later, according to previously unseen documents in the National Archives at Kew.
She begged Hindley to tell her what happened to Keith, saying: "My heart tells me you know and I am on bended knees begging you to end this torture and finally put my mind at rest."
In 1987 - after Mrs Johnson sent her first heartfelt plea - Hindley and Brady confessed to killing Keith, and also Pauline Reade, aged 16. Police searches of the location provided by Brady and Hindley led to the discovery of Pauline's body, but Keith's was never found.
Greater Manchester Police (GMP) have said they are still trying to locate Keith's body, and have been have been searching Saddleworth Moor, to the north east of Manchester.
They have refused to confirm reports that a US spy satellite or specialist army teams from Northern Ireland were used in the search.
Chief Superintendent Steve Heywood, head of GMP's Serious Crime Division, said: "We can confirm that an operation has been active over the past three years with the aim of finding Keith Bennett's body."
He continued: "As part of the operation, at periodic intervals, work has been carried out on Saddleworth Moor.
"We have kept Keith's family updated at every stage of this operation.
"It is important for us to stress that we have not found Keith's body, and it would be wrong to raise anyone's expectations - most of all those of his family - that we know where his body is or that its discovery is imminent.
"We have always been committed to finding Keith's body and our current operation is the latest in a series carried out by Greater Manchester Police over the years to locate Keith's remains and finally lay that little boy to rest.
"That is still our goal and the investigation remains open."
Hindley was jailed for life in 1966 with her lover Brady for the murders of ten-year-old Lesley Ann Downey and Edward Evans, 17.
Brady was also convicted of murdering 12-year-old John Kilbride while Hindley was found to have been an accessory.
In 1987 the pair confessed to killing Keith and Pauline.
Brady is serving his sentence at Ashworth Hospital on Merseyside.
Hindley died in prison six years ago.
Newly released documents have detailed contingency plans made in the event of her death.
A January 2001 memo from from Highpoint Prison which set out the difficulties in finding a crematorium and suggested research around serial killer Fred West's funeral arrangements might help.
The memo read: "Finding a crematorium has been problematic, the local crematorium is small and privately run. They refused to cremate Myra having had previous connections with the cremation of Fred West and having received threats to damage business. Ipswich Crematorium also refused to cremate Myra."
Estimated costs could be £10,000, the document said.
In the end, Hindley's funeral took place at Cambridge Crematorium following her death in West Suffolk Hospital on November 15, 2002.
Invoices included in the files reveal that £1,308.90 was spent on measures needed specifically for Hindley's funeral such as the hire of crash barriers, floodlighting and staff overtime because the ceremony had to take place outside normal working hours.
Another document in the files sets out the property Hindley left behind in her cell when she died.
It included jewellery, photos, cards, clothes, a Westlife CD, stereo system, a plastic rosary and pin/cash credits of £501.42.
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