A 93-years-old ex-police officer – who had been at the forefront of the high-profile Moors Murders - paid a visit to the Museum of Policing in Cheshire.
Evan John Hughes travelled from his home in Pwllheli, North Wales to the Warrington venue, with his daughter and granddaughter.
After joining Cheshire Constabulary in October 1956, Evan was initially posted to New Ferry in the Wirral Division. He was then transferred to Macclesfield where he remained on foot patrol for five years, before moving to Stalybridge as a Detective Constable in 1963.
During his time in Stalybridge, he became involved in the investigation know as the Moors Murders, which came to light in October 1965.
Museum researcher Will Brown said: “The body of a 17-year-old Manchester youth Edward Evans was murdered by Brady after having been lured by Brady and his girlfriend Myra Hindley to their home at Wardle Brook Avenue at Hattersley.
“Evan recalled having to sit in an office at Hyde Police Station with Brady who seemed unconcerned reading a newspaper and smoking,” said Will. “Later following the discovery of the body of Lesley Ann Downey aged 10 on Saddleworth Moor, he was directed together with other officers to mount and overnight guard at the scene of the shallow grave where Lesley Ann had been discovered.”
In April 1966 Evan was promoted to uniform Sergeant at Hyde, but in 1967 he returned to CID duties firstly as a Crime Prevention Officer and later as Detective Sergeant at Stalybridge. He resigned from the force in 1972 to go into business in his hometown of Pwllheli.
Memories were shared when Will and museum manager Peter Hampson gave Evan a tour of the museum. They talked about many cases and incidents and the nature of police work in those days.
Peter said: “It was fascinating to hear a first-person account of this investigation; I was a 16 or 17-year-old cadet when I first heard about it.
“To speak to the man who was there at the time was very interesting. It was a time of officers in sheepskin coats to keep warm, flasks of tea and lanterns at the scene.”