Myra Hindley

Myra Hindley (July 23, 1942–November 15, 2002), known as the Moors Murderess, was born in Crumpsall in the English city of Manchester. She left school in 1957 to work as a typist for a chemical firm called Millward's. It was at Millward's that she met Ian Brady, a Scottish-born man four years her senior with a history of violence and a string of burglary convictions. They began a relationship in late 1961, and Brady encouraged her to help him with bank robberies. He even asked Hindley to join a shooting club and possess a licensed gun, as he could not obtain a gun licence because he had a criminal record.

Death

On November 15, 2002, Hindley died after a heart attack at the age of 60 in West Suffolk Hospital. She had spent 37 years in custody and during that time gained an open university degree and returned to her catholic religion with great faith. Her solicitors told the press that Hindley was truly sorry for what she did. Hindley had always portrayed herself as a remorseful sinner, but was acutely aware that few people were willing to forgive her. Those who campaigned for her release said that she should not have ended her life behind bars. Heading this group of people was former prison governor Peter Timms, who admitted that there was no question that Hindley's crimes were terrible, but said that the real issue was that she was treated quite differently than any other of the estimated 4,000 British life sentence prisoners.

Related Topics:
November 15 - 2002 - West Suffolk Hospital - Peter Timms

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Myra Hindley could in fact have been released during 2003 under a Law Lords' ruling which came within two weeks of her death, but that would have outraged the public and embarrassed the government.

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