No human remains found as police continue search for Moors Murders victim Keith Bennett

1 October 2022, 12:37 | Updated: 1 October 2022, 16:43

No human remains have been found in the search for Moors Murders victim Keith Bennett but work is continuing, police have said.

Greater Manchester Police (GMP) are searching the Moors in the South Pennines near Oldham, in search of the 12 year old for the first time in 35 years after an amateur sleuth found bones and possible jaw fragments, possibly of a child aged around 12.

Force Review Officer Cheryl Hughes said: "Following information received which indicated that potential human remains had been found on the Moors, specialist officers have today (1 October 2022) resumed excavation of a site identified to us.

"This information included photographs of the site and show what experts working with the informant have interpreted as a human jaw bone. No physical evidence of a jaw bone or skull has been examined.

"However, based on the photographs and information provided, and in line with GMP’s usual practice to follow-up any suggestion of human burial, we began our search of the site of interest.

"We have not found any identifiable human remains but our work to excavate the site is continuing. 

"Conditions are difficult and it may take us some time to fully complete the excavation but we are committed to ensuring this is undertaken in the most thorough way possible.”

It comes after the brother of victim Keith Bennet said he hoped to learn "within hours" if the boy's remains have finally been discovered, 58 years after the schoolboy was snatched and murdered by Ian Brady and Myra Hindley.

Keith’s brother Alan Bennett posted on social media of his scepticism around the search last night: “Apart from believing this is the wrong location for Keith and all the previous graves have been shallow why, if the police were taken to the location, has nothing been discovered as yet?

“I cannot escape the feeling that we have been here before but all should be clear and final some time tomorrow.”

12-year-old Keith was one of five victims of Ian Brady and Myra Hindley, with three of them later found buried on Saddleworth Moor.

But the schoolboy's body was never found following his disappearance in 1964 and 48 years later his mother, Winnie Johnson, died aged 78 without fulfilling her wish to give him a proper Christian burial.

Fresh hopes were raised on Friday when a report in the Daily Mail revealed that author Russell Edwards believes he has located the youngster's makeshift grave following "extensive soil analysis" which indicated the presence of human remains.

It is said Mr Edwards commenced his own dig - close to where the other Moors Murders victims were found - and uncovered a skull with teeth present which independent experts are reported to have concluded is human.

In an earlier statement, Greater Manchester Police's force review officer Martin Bottomley said: "At around 11.25am on Thursday, Greater Manchester Police (GMP) was contacted by the representative of an author who has been researching the murder of Keith Bennett, a victim of Ian Brady and Myra Hindley.

"Following direct contact with the author, we were informed that he had discovered what he believes are potential human remains in a remote location on the Moors and he agreed to meet with officers yesterday afternoon to elaborate on his find and direct us to a site of interest.

"The site was assessed late last night and, this morning, specialist officers have begun initial exploration activity.

"We are in the very early stages of assessing the information which has been brought to our attention but have made the decision to act on it in line with a normal response to a report of this kind.

"It is far too early to be certain whether human remains have been discovered and this is expected to take some time.

"We have always said that GMP would act on any significant information which may lead to the recovery of Keith and reunite him with his family. As such, we have informed his brother (Alan) of the potential development - he does not wish to be contacted at this time and asks that his privacy is respected."

Recalling the discovery of the skull, Mr Edwards told the Daily Mail: "The smell hit me about 2ft down. Like a sewer, like ammonia.

"I worked as a gravedigger when I was 19. That hits you, that smell of death. It is distinctive.

"Police have to go and do a full-scale dig now.

"This is about peace for Keith, closure for his family. Brady has not won."

Keith was last seen by his mother in the early evening of June 16 1964 after he left home in Eston Street, Longsight, Manchester, on his way to his grandmother's house nearby.

Brady and Hindley's other victims were Pauline Reade, 16, who disappeared on her way to a disco on July 12 1963; John Kilbride, 12, who was snatched in November the same year; Lesley Ann Downey, 10, who was lured away from a funfair on Boxing Day 1964; and Edward Evans, 17, who was axed to death in October 1965.

The killers were caught after the Evans murder and Lesley and John's bodies were recovered from the moors.

Both Brady and Hindley were taken back to Saddleworth Moor to help police find the remains of the outstanding victims but only Pauline's body was recovered.

Brady claimed he could not remember where he had buried Keith.

In 2009, police said a covert search operation on the moor, which used a wealth of scientific experts, had also failed to discover any trace of the boy.

Hindley died in jail in 2002 at the age of 60.

Brady died in a high-security hospital in 2017 aged 79.

Speaking after Brady's death, Mr Bottomley said: "It is especially saddening for the family of Keith Bennett that his killers did not reveal to police the whereabouts of Keith's burial site.

"A week hardly goes by when we do not receive some information which purports to lead us to Keith but ultimately only two people knew where Keith is.

"Greater Manchester Police will never close this case. Brady's death does not change that. We will act on credible and actionable information that will help lead us to him."