Moors murderer Ian Brady: I want to return to Scotland to die
Sep 14 2009 By Mark Smith
MOORS murderer Ian Brady wants a move to a Scottish jail - after being inspired by the release of the Lockerbie bomber.
Lawyers are set to launch a bid for evil Brady, who was born in Glasgow, to be transferred to a Scottish secure hospital.
And they hope that Scotland's justice system will allow him the right to die, as he is currently being kept alive by force-feeding following a hunger strike.
But opposition MSPs last night reacted with fury at the prospect.
Brady's lawyer Giovani di Stefano confirmed that the "compassionate release" of Lockerbie bomber. Megrahi by SNP justice secretary Kenny MacAskill had inspired the request.
He said that, after Megrahi's release: "Scotland could hardly deny Brady a return."
Di Stefano added: "There is no reason Brady should not return to his own country just like Mr Al Megrahi did.
"The attitude regarding mental health in Scotland is perhaps somewhat diverse to the UK, and I have told Brady that he may well achieve his goal by being transferred there.
"However, this would not be the political hot potato that the Megrahi decision caused."
Tory justice spokesman Bill Aitken last night reacted with horror at the prospect of Brady, 71, coming here.
He said: "Having seen what happened with Megrahi, obviously Brady thinks that he will betreated similarly softly.
"The word has obviously got round that in Scotland jail is a 'skoosh'. This is why he is seeking to come here."
Calling on any transfer request to be rejected, Aitken added: "Brady's connection with Scotland is now so old that there is no justification for it."
Brady is currently held in Liverpool's Ashworth Hospital. The vile child killer is being force fed after being on a series of hunger strikes over 10 years.
With his notorious lover Myra Hindley, Scot Brady tortured and murdered five youngsters in the early 60s.
Brady was sentenced in 1966 to life in prison. Hindley died in 2002 aged 60, while Brady remains imprisoned in a hospital psychiatric wing.
He began a hunger strike in 1999 and went to the High Court in London in 2000 to try and stop medics forcefeeding him. Lawyer di Stefano now aims to have Brady moved under the Repatriation of Prisoners Act 1984.
He revealed: "All Brady wants is to be moved to a prison and be allowed to die. He is responsible for killing at least five people - maybe more. All he wants is for his case to be heard fairly and we believe that will happen in Scotland.
"Having been born and raised in Scotland, the country cannot refuse moves to have him transferred there.
"We would look to have Brady moved to Carstairs Hospital or a similar unit.
"We are then confident he would be declared fit enough to be moved to a mainstream prison. Once there, he could then take the decision whether he wanted to eat or not."
Di Stefano, branded the Devil's Advocate for representing clients such as Saddam Hussein, went on: "Brady is evil, without a doubt.
"He doesn't want out - he simply wants to be left to die. We believe Scotland offers the best opportunity for him."
The move comes just weeks after Brady rejected a plea from the mother of victim Keith Bennett, 12, to reveal where he buried her son.
Brady vowed to never again speak about the killings, declaring: "This is my last word on the matter."
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