Louis Browne QC acts in Ian Brady High Court case

October 16, 2017

The body of Ian Brady, Moors murderer, must be disposed of with “no music and no ceremony”, a senior judge has ruled.

Responsibility for supervising the task has also been taken out of the hands of his former solicitor and executor, Robin Makin.

The judgment, delivered by the Chancellor of the High Court, Sir Geoffrey Vos, rejected Makin’s request that Berlioz’s Symphonie Fantastique should be played at his funeral.

“As the composer’s programme notes describe, the theme and subject of the piece means legitimate offence would be caused to the families of the deceased’s victims once it became known it had been played,” said Sir Geoffrey, adding that the overwhelming factor in the case was the public interest.

Sir Geoffrey had been asked by two local authorities, Oldham and Tameside, to make decisions for the body’s disposal so that it could be “lawfully and decently disposed of without further delay”.

Louis Browne QC from Exchange Chambers was instructed by Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council in the case.

Sir Geoffrey said that had Mr Makin “discussed the matter openly with the claimants and with Sefton Borough Council and given clear undertakings that he was not intending to scatter the deceased’s ashes in their areas, these proceedings might have been avoided”.

Tameside Council, the local authority now tasked with disposing of Brady’s remains, said during the hearing that it will be done “expediently”.