[guide.chat] carol
- From: vanessa <qwerty1234567a@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: "GUIDE CHAT" <guide.chat@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sun, 19 Aug 2012 00:00:43 +0100
thank you for article carol, sad news, rest in peace winnie johnson and keith
bennet.
vanessa.
-----Original Message-----
From: Carol O'Connor - Email Address: missbossyboots33@xxxxxxxxx
Sent On: 18/08/2012 22:38
Sent To: guide chat - Email Address: guide.chat@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [guide.chat] Winnie Johnson died
Winnie Johnson, 78, mum of Moors murder victim Keith Bennett, dies.
by Paul Britton
August 18, 2012
DIGNIFIED: Winnie Johnson DIGNIFIED: Winnie Johnson
DIGNIFIED: Winnie Johnson 1/15 Play Slideshow
Winnie Johnson, the mother of Moors murder victim Keith Bennett, dies aged 78
Her family confirm she passed away early today at a hospice after a battle with
cancer
Her son Alan Bennett says the fight to find Keith's body will continue in her
memory
Tributes paid to a 'courageous lady' who 'never gave up hope' of finding Keith
Mrs Johnson's solicitor: Tragic Winnie died without knowing where Keith was
buried
Police continue to investigate claims that killer Ian Brady penned a letter
which could reveal the site of the schoolboy's remains
Police chief issues a direct plea to Brady to reveal the site of Keith's burial
Winnie Johnson, the mother of Moors murder victim Keith Bennett, died this
morning after a battle with cancer, her family said.
A statement confirmed the news that Mrs Johnson, 78, passed away at 12.35am.
She was being cared for at a hospice in Greater Manchester and was suffering
from cancer.
Her grieving family said in the statement that she had 'fought tirelessly for
decades' to find Keith's body and 'give him a Christian burial'.
In a statement posted on the website searchingforkeith.com, which is run by Mrs
Johnson's son, Alan Bennett, the family said that the fight to find Keith's
body would continue in her memory.
The statement in full said: "Winnie Johnson, the mother of Keith Bennett, died
this morning at 12.35am, aged 78. She was a much-loved mother, grandmother and
great-grandmother and is survived by one younger brother.
"Winnie fought tirelessly for decades to find Keith and give him a Christian
burial.
"Although this was not possible during her lifetime we, her family, intend to
continue this fight now for her and for Keith.
"We hope that the authorities and the public will support us in this.
"We would like to express our deep gratitude to all the medical staff who cared
for Winnie during her illness, and also the public for their good wishes and
support over the years.
"We hope that everyone will understand, however, that we would like to grieve
for her in private, both at this time and during her funeral."
Winnie Johnson, shown speaking to the M.E.N. in December 2011:
John Ainley, Mrs Johnson's solicitor, said today: "Winnie Johnson, mother of
the last missing Moors murder victim Keith Bennett, has died without
discovering her son's whereabouts.
Winnie, 78, passed away peacefully at a hospice where she was being cared for
with cancer.
"It is a terrible tragedy and a distressing time. She will be sadly missed and
was much-loved by her family. Winnie insisted that Brady is the only person who
could put her mind at rest and give her the chance to give Keith a decent
burial before she passed on.
"She was convinced that Brady knew where her son was buried and she wanted the
search to continue to find Keith. However, despite her personal appeals
directly to Brady and via my office, Brady has
persistently ignored the wishes of a tragic grieving mother.
"She died without knowing Keith's whereabouts and without the opportunity to
finally put him at rest in a proper grave. It is truly a heartbreaking
situation that this opportunity has now been lost.
"Winnie's health deteriorated in the last few days but she died with a
steadfast conviction that Ian Brady could resolve the situation."
Mr Ainley said Mrs Johnson had been in the hospice for 'some weeks'.
And he described her as 'a most courageous lady' who was 'the driving force'
behind the long search for her son.
Mr Ainley added: "She always thought that she would find Keith but without
information from Ian Brady, that became most difficult."
David Kirwan, a solicitor who represented Mrs Johnson for three years, paid
tribute to her as "a mother".
The lawyer, who twice met the serial killer to discuss the possibility of him
being taken back to the Moors to help the search, said: "It is an absolute
tragedy.
"I spent approximately four years helping Winnie in her campaign but she spent
48 years searching for her son.
"I would sum her up with one word, a mother.
"This is what a parent will do, look at the McCanns, their search has never
stopped (for daughter Madeleine)."
Mr Kirwan said he was optimistic about news of a letter from Brady which could
divulge Keith's burial site.
"I believe that in all of us there is a human trait, the desire for the
confessional, to make your peace," said Mr Kirwan.
However, Brady is such a control freak with such a venomous hatred of the
authorities, any clues he provides will be in riddle form, Mr Kirwan said.
"He thinks he is cleverer than everybody else, thinks he is superior to
everybody else."
News of Mrs Johnson's death today comes as police continue to investigate
claims of a letter said to have been written by killer Ian Brady and addressed
to her which could pinpoint the location of
Keith's shallow grave on Saddleworth Moor, above Oldham.
An investigation was launched after Brady's mental health advocate Jackie
Powell revealed the killer gave her a sealed envelope to pass to Mrs Johnson
after he dies.
Mrs Johnson's legal team confirmed she was not told of the development.
Ms Powell, 49, who was appointed Brady's representative under the Mental Health
Act in 1999, was arrested on suspicion of preventing the burial of a body
without lawful exercise yesterday morning and was bailed pending further
inquiries.
Police have seized paperwork from Ms Powell's home near Llanelli in south Wales
and were continuing to sift through it today in a bid to find the letter.
But senior police chiefs admit that they do not know whether the it true or
'simply a ruse'.
Today senior police officers paid tribute to Mrs Johnson, describing her as
tenacious and courageous.
Martin Bottomley, head of GMP's cold case unit, also issued a direct plea to
Brady.
He said: "I would implore him at this extremely sad time and knowing that
Winnie has died not knowing where Keith is buried to at last do the decent
thing and tell us where he is."
Mr Bottomley added: "Our thoughts are with Winnie's family at this very
difficult and sad time. Winnie spent the majority of her life courageously
fighting to get justice for Keith.
"All she wanted was to know where Keith was buried so she could lay
him to rest.
"Sadly, almost all of her life, she has had to live with the knowledge that Ian
Brady refused to show compassion and do the right thing and disclose where he
had buried her little boy.
"Winnie was a tenacious and courageous woman and I wish that in her lifetime,
she could have found where Keith was buried. The only comfort we can take is
that she is now at peace with the little boy she missed so much.
"We are continuing to examine the documentation we seized to establish
whether or not this letter even exists."
Brady and Myra Hindley, who died in prison aged 60 in 2002, murdered five
children in the 1960s and buried them in shallow graves on Saddleworth Moor.
Keith was abducted from the street as he walked to his gran's house in
Longsight in 1964 then murdered. His body is the only one not to have been
found and both Brady and Hindley repeatedly refused to reveal its location.
Brady and Hindley were both convicted in 1966. Brady was jailed for life for
the murders of John Kilbride, 12, Lesley Ann Downey, 10 and Edward Evans, 17.
Hindley was caged for life for killing Lesley Ann and Edward and shielding
Brady after John's murder. In 1987, the pair admitted killing Keith Bennett and
Pauline Reade.
Funeral arrangements had not been revealed this morning.
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