Brady’s ‘cancer in an envelope’ wish

MOORS Murderer Ian Brady remains “chronically psychotic” and should remain in hospital for treatment, his mental health tribunal has heard.

The child killer suffers from long-term paranoid schizophrenia says the doctor in charge of his care at high security Ashworth Hospital on Merseyside.

His wish that he could “send cancer in an envelope” to one doctor was one example of anger at the centre of his paranoia, a panel sitting at the hospital was told.

Dr James Collins said Brady also had paranoid beliefs about fellow patients and wrongly believed others were “out to get at him”.

But Dr Collins said he was not aware that Brady was paranoid before he was jailed for life in 1966 for murdering five youngsters in the 1960s, burying their bodies on Saddleworth Moor.

He was transferred to Ashworth Hospital in 1985 after displaying psychotic symptoms. Dr Collins said he believed his illness was “clearly still active”.

Brady, on hunger strike since 1999 wants to end his life and believes this would be easier in prison, where he cannot be force-fed.

Eleanor Grey QC, representing Ashworth Hospital - which opposes any bid to transfer Brady to prison - asked Dr Collins what he thought would happen if Brady was allowed back.

“I think he will be delighted,” he said. “He will have won after all.”