Politician and lawyer;

Born: March 26, 1925; Died: February 21, 2012.

Emlyn Hooson, Baron Hooson of Montgomery, who has died aged 86, was a right-wing Liberal MP for 17 years and as a barrister represented Glasgow-born Moors murderer Ian Brady at his trial alongside Myra Hindley 45 years ago.

Born into an old North Wales agricultural family he was educated at Denbigh Grammar School and the University College of Wales, Aberystwyth. He served in the Royal Navy during the Second World War before becoing a barrister. He was called to the bar by Gray's Inn in 1949, and in 1960 became the youngest ever Queen's Counsel.

At the Bar, he was a cool, clear thinker. In December 1965 he was appointed to lead Ian Brady's defence at Chester Assizes; Brady was charged with murdering Lesley Anne Downey (10), John Kilbride (12) and Edward Evans (17). Hindley was also charged with killing Lesley Anne and John. Brady admitted having wielded the axe against Evans, and although Hooson insisted there was only the "flimsiest evidence" against him over the deaths of the two children, Brady and Hindley were convicted on all counts and sentenced to life; Brady remains behind bars.

Hooson became chairman of the Liberal Party of Wales in 1955 and was elected to the Liberal Party executive in 1965. He contested Conwy at the 1950 general election and again in 1951. He became MP for Montgomeryshire at a 1962 by-election following the death of Clement Davies, as a member of the Liberal Party.

When Jo Grimond retired as party leader in 1967, Emlyn Hooson stood against Jeremy Thorpe partly due to a deep distrust of Thorpe's character.

In 1979 Hooson lost his seat to the Conservatives and was then appointed a life peer as Baron Hooson..

He married Shirley Hamer in 1950. They had two daughters.