Friends and family pay respects to Winnie Johnson
Those who knew and loved Winnie Johnson - the mother of one of the Moors murder victims - are paying their final respects at her funeral.
Devoted mum of Moors Murder victim Keith Bennett dies
Winnie Johnson, the mother of the Moors Murder victim Keith Bennett, has died at the age of 78
Police knew about existence of 'Brady letter' last month
Police first became aware of the possible existence of a letter from Ian Brady to his victim's mother in late July.
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Police made 'exhaustive attempts' to find Brady letter
Greater Manchester Police have said they made "exhaustive attempts" to establish if a letter allegedly sent by Moors murderer Ian Brady to his mental health advocate Jackie Powell, would have helped assist them in finding the remains of one of his victims.
Martin Bottomley, head of investigative review in Greater Manchester Police's major and cold case crime unit, said:
As soon as we were made aware of the existence of this alleged letter, we made exhaustive attempts to obtain it to establish whether or not its contents would assist us in finding Keith [Bennett's] body.
However, despite seizing numerous documents and a search of Brady's cell, no such letter has been recovered.
That in itself does not prove or disprove the letter's existence. It might have been destroyed, it might be hidden elsewhere, it may be in someone else's possession, or it may simply never have existed in the first place and this has been yet more mind games by Brady.
CPS not to charge Jackie Powell over Ian Brady letter
A woman who allegedly received a letter from Moors murderer Ian Brady concerning the location of one his victim's remains will not be charged, the Crown Prosecution Service said today.
Brady's mental health advocate Jackie Powell was arrested on suspicion of preventing the lawful burial of Brady's victim Keith Bennett, the CPS said in a statement.
John Dilworth, Head of the CPS North West Complex Case Unit, said:
– The Crown Prosecution ServiceWe have completed our review of the evidence concerning an alleged failure by Jackie Powell to disclose information about the location of Keith Bennett’s remains.
After careful consideration, we have decided that Ms Powell should not be charged, as it cannot be established that she knew the contents of the letter referred to, that the letter in question existed or what information it might have contained.
The only evidence of the letter’s existence was in comments given by Ms Powell to an interviewer and she stated only that she believed it may contain information about Keith Bennett.
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Test carried out on Moors murders spade
Tests have been carried out on a spade found buried on Saddleworth Moor to establish whether it has any connection to the Moors murders.
It was hoped the tool would provide clues to the final resting place of victim Keith Bennett, whose mother Winnie Johnson died last month without ever knowing what became of his remains.
'Dearest Winnie: Your spirit will live on'
Winnie Johnson's coffin carried from Church
Winnie Johnson's coffin has been carried from the St Chrysostom Church in Manchester after a private funeral fro family and friends.
A funeral service for Winnie Johnson
by Juliet Bremner: ITV News Correspondent
The congregation heard tributes from Winnie Johnson's grandson Stephen Prescott and the partner of another grandson, Elizabeth Bond.
They did not mention her long fight to discover where the rermains of her son Keith Bennett are buried.
Instead, they concentrated on a woman who was the centre of a large family and always had twinkle in her eye.
It was left to Canon Ian Gomersall to recall her years of courage as she pleaded to know what had happened to her boy. He said "I pay tribute to Winnie's courage and determination to bring her son back to her family."
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Friends and family pay respects to Winnie Johnson
by Juliet Bremner: ITV News Correspondent
Those who knew and loved Winnie Johnson - the mother of one of the Moors murder victims - are paying their final respects at her funeral.
Read the full storyMother of Moors murder victim Keith Bennett to be buried
The funeral of Winnie Johnson, the mother of Keith Bennett, murdered by Ian Brady, will take place in Manchester today.
78-year-old Winnie had been suffering from cancer for a number of years and passed away peacefully, but without fulfilling her final wish - to find the body of her son and give him a Christian funeral and burial.
Winnie has always maintained that Ian Brady remembers where the body was hidden and appealed to him directly to reveal the location before she died. ITV News reporter Sally Biddulph reports on the mother who never gave up her fight for her son.
Winnie Johnson to be laid to rest in Manchester
The funeral of Winnie Johnson, mother of Moors murder victim Keith Bennett, will take place later today.
The 78-year-old died without fulfilling her lifelong wish to find her son's makeshift grave on Saddleworth Moor and give him a Christian burial.
Channel 4 on Ian Brady documentary
– Broadcaster Channel 4 on Ian Brady documentaryThis documentary will be airing tonight as planned following consultation with Winnie Johnson's family and with their approval.
There will be tweaks to reflect Winnie's sad passing but otherwise the film will remain unchanged.
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