Moors Murders: Keith Bennett family call for police file access

Keith Bennett was snatched in 1964 on his way to his grandmother's house

The brother of Moors Murder victim Keith Bennett is calling for the police to give him access to case files to help the family search for his body.

Keith was 12 when he was snatched in 1964 in Longsight, Manchester, by Ian Brady and his accomplice Myra Hindley and murdered on Saddleworth Moor.

Alan Bennett says the family will "keep pushing" to read the files so Keith "can have the burial he deserves".

Greater Manchester Police said the family is told about new developments.

Mr Bennett said: "We're quite willing to do anything we have to do to bring Keith home. It would help if we knew everything.

"I'm hoping they will allow us access."

'Dormant phase'

Brady and Hindley murdered five children between 1963 and 1965.

The bodies of three of them were buried on Saddleworth Moor near Manchester, while one was found at Brady's home.

Keith was snatched by Brady as he made his way to his grandmother's house. His is the only body never to have been found.

The police said the search is in a "dormant phase", with only a major scientific breakthrough or significant piece of fresh evidence able to prompt a new search.

Martin Bottomley, who is head of the Cold Case Review Unit, said officers would be meeting with the family to "discuss any concerns".

He said: "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."

Mr Bennett said: "Once we've got Keith back we can grieve.

"He can have the burial he deserves, rather than the burial he didn't deserve."

In 1987, after Brady and Hindley admitted killing Keith and 16-year-old Pauline Reade from Crumpsall, they were taken back to Saddleworth Moor by detectives to find the bodies but only Pauline's remains were found.

Brady and Hindley also killed John Kilbride, 12, and Lesley Ann Downey, 10, as well as Edward Evans, 17.