Brother of Moors Murder victim says he is 'frustrated' new information has not yet found his sibling

Police have been digging on Saddleworth Moor for almost a week after new information came to light about potential human remains. Credit: PA Images

The brother of Moors Murder victim Keith Bennett says he is frustrated new information from a crime investigator on a potential burial site has failed to find him.

Amateur sleuth Edward Russell says he has shown police pictures of what was described as a part of a jaw bone, after working with a team of experts to try to find Keith's remains on Saddleworth Moor.

But, so far police say they have "not found any identifiable human remains", but will continue to search for the "foreseeable time".

Officers have dug around 3ft deep in the immediate area identified by Mr Russell, as well as several metres beyond that.

Keith Bennett was snatched by Moors Murderers Ian Brady and Myra Hindley in south Manchester in June 1964.

But, as the search entered its fifth day, Keith's brother Alan Bennett has taken to social media to publicly thank police, but said he was "confused, to say the least" that the new information has not yet yielded a positive result.

On his Facebook page, Alan Bennett posted: "I would like to publicly thank the Cold Case Team and the Forensic Team for all they are doing on the moor and for keeping me informed."

He also suggested Mr Russell should return to the moors to help police find the precise location of his find.

He wrote: "Instead of doing the rounds of media outlets, maybe that bloke should return to the moor and be a lot more accurate about the facts and location of his find.

"There's a lot more I would like to say and ask but out of respect and gratitude for the Cold Case Team and the Forensic Team I'll keep quiet for now."

Police launch a drone over Saddleworth Moor Credit: Danny Lawson/PA

12-year-old Keith Bennett was snatched by Ian Brady and Myra Hindley 58 years ago in June 1964, in south Manchester, but his remains have never been found.

Police say they were contacted by the author researching Keith's murder who believes he had discovered human remains, at around 11.25am on 29 September.

He took officers to the site on the Moors where specialists have begun "initial exploration activity".

Brady ignored repeated requests from Keith's late mother, Winnie Johnson, over several decades to identify the location of his makeshift grave so she could give her son a proper Christian burial.

She died in 2012, and Keith's brother Alan Bennett - who police are keeping updated with any developments - has continued the hunt for his body.

Keith is one of five victims of Brady and Hindley, alongside Pauline Reade, 16, John Kilbride, 12, Lesley Ann Downey, 10, and Edward Evans, 17.

Ian Brady and Myra Hindley were given life sentences Credit: PA

Adding to his social media post, Mr Bennett said: "Just to be clear about this. I'm not saying there is nothing there, what I will say is that I, and many others are confused, to say the very least.

"I still believe Keith is not in that location and I still believe there were no other victims.

"However, nobody can rule anything else out. I just cannot understand why nothing has been found."

Mr Bennett referenced two previous finds, one by his own team which uncovered some material and a stud fastener and alerted police.

It turned out to be camping equipment, he said. He cited another find which turned out to be sheep bones.

He wrote: "I am just getting frustrated, annoyed, confused and feeling a lot more emotions because there is more to this than meets the eye and I cannot understand why that bloke appears not to have been exact in his information to the police about the location.

"Surely, he cannot have forgotten exactly where it is after his claims about his years of investigations. Just a few of the hundreds of thoughts running through my mind."


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