Moors Murderer Ian Brady’s legal fees cost £450,000

An NHS trust is to pay £200,000 legal fees for the failed tribunal brought by Moors Murderer Ian Brady.

The 75-year-old, whose own costs for lawyers of around £250,000 were paid by the taxpayer through Legal Aid, brought a Mental Health Tribunal against Ashworth Hospital, Merseyside, where he has been held since 1985.

The child killer brought the case after a three-year fight to convince the authorities he is not mentally ill and should be moved to a prison. The total cost of his failed bid to the taxpayer now stands at around £450,000.

Families of his victims criticised the tribunal in June for giving Brady a platform to “grandstand” and the week-long hearing was described as a “circus” as the paranoid schizophrenic killer gave evidence.

The tribunal ruled he should stay at Ashworth.