Brother of Moors victim Keith Bennett calls on police to open case files

The brother of Moors murder victim Keith Bennett has called on police to release their case files.

Alan Bennett hopes a review of the official evidence could help them find Keith's body - 50 years after the 12-year-old was murdered by Ian Brady and Myra Hindley.

Alan has given his first and only television interview to ITV News Granada Reports.

Mr Bennett said he spoke to David Smith, who was a chief witness for the prosecution at the trial of Brady and Hindley, before he died in 2012 aged 64.

Mr Smith – Hindley’s brother-in-law – gave new evidence to Mr Bennett, who then passed a dossier, including the taped interview, to police.

But Greater Manchester Police say the taped interview "did not contain any new information that would help find Keith's body".

Keith was aged 12 when he was taken and murdered by Brady and Hindley as he walked to his grandmothers house in Longsight in June 1964.

Martin Bottomley, Head of Greater Manchester Police's Cold Case Review Unit said: "Greater Manchester Police did study a transcript of the tape and after a thorough assessment of its content by officers, we determined it did not contain any new information that would help us find Keith's body.

"Because of that assessment, Mr Smith was not interviewed at that time.

"Although the search for Keith's body remains in a dormant phase, I would stress again this is not a case we will ever close and we always remain open to pursuing any new lines of inquiry that may arise from significant scientific advances or credible and actionable information.

"We have been investigating Brady's horrendous crimes and their aftermath for over 40 years now. Barely a week goes by when we do not receive some information which purports to lead us to Keith's burial site. All of these claims are investigated and it remains our aim to find Keith for the sake of his surviving family members. We have to balance that aim with not reacting to everything we receive that has no new or credible information that will help us find Keith's body and giving his family false hope.

"We do keep in regular contact with Keith's family to keep them updated with any new developments and we will be meeting with them in the coming days to discuss any concerns they may have."

Mr Bennett said he remains "certain" that his brother's remains lie in this area.

Hindley and Brady, 76, murdered five youngsters in the 1960s.

Hindley died in prison in 2002, aged 60. Brady is held in the Ashworth psychiatric hospital in Merseyside.