Is Lord Lucan alive?

As a cinema devotee with a keen interest in true crime narratives, this documentary titled “Lucan” instantly piqued my curiosity and found its way onto my watchlist. The gripping tale of Neil Berriman’s journey to uncover the truth about his birth mother Sandra Rivett, who was brutally murdered by Lord Lucan, promises an enthralling exploration of a decades-old mystery.

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Upon unfolding the beige folder filled with mementos from his past that his adoptive mother had saved for him, one artifact in particular caught Neil Berriman’s attention. Inside, alongside the birthday greeting cards and legal adoption documents, was a news clipping about Sandra Rivett, a nanny to children who was tragically murdered at age 29 by the nobleman Lord Lucan.

Upon examining the files inside the envelope, it became clear that Sandra Rivett was indeed Berriman’s biological mother. “I can recall it was a very distressing moment,” says Berriman, now 57 years old, of his shocking revelation. “It was truly awful.

7th Earl of Lucan, Richard John Bingham, mysteriously disappeared on November 7, 1974, following the brutal murder of Rivett at his Belgravia residence, a house he owned. Initially, it was assumed by police and later confirmed at an inquest that this crime was a case of mistaken identity; they believed Lucan intended to harm his estranged wife, Veronica, amidst their bitter custody battle. Rivett met a gruesome end with blunt force trauma, yet Lucan’s blood-splattered car was later found abandoned in Newhaven, East Sussex. Despite numerous reported sightings worldwide, he was never located.

Lord Lucan’s family maintained he had subsequently killed himself. He was formally declared dead by the UK’s High Court in February 2016. But father-of-two Berriman, from Hampshire, is convinced that Lord Lucan, who would be 90 in December, is still alive.

The exploration of the truth regarding Lord Lucan’s location, along with Glen Campbell (an investigative journalist), is highlighted in an engaging three-part BBC documentary. This adventure leads them from South Africa to Australia.

Berriman’s investigation to uncover the truth started in 2012 when Scotland Yard granted him access to disturbing crime scene photos. The impact of viewing those images has been deeply emotional and enduring. “I was on antidepressants for nearly three years… Because my mother is dead, and someone got away with it,” he explains.

He pauses. “Even now, talking about it, I can still see those pictures.”

Is Lord Lucan alive?

Berriman was born at the age of 21 to Rivett, who was pregnant with a man she was married to. He was then put up for adoption. He had a content and ordinary upbringing with his adoptive parents, Ian and Audrey, although he was informed about his adoption when he turned ten. Despite this, he showed little curiosity about his biological parents. “As I grew older,” he said, “my mother would persistently try to give me this brown envelope, but I always declined. I didn’t want to know more about my real parents – that is, until one of my adoptive parents passed away.

Three years after Audrey’s passing from cancer in 2004, Berriman (who was now nearly 40) finally decided to open the envelope that had been kept in her bedside drawer. He reflects, “Maybe it was due to a significant birthday milestone that made me feel the time was ripe.

My mum has been the forgotten victim – I want justice

Nothing could have prepared him for what was inside, and it sparked an intense desire to find out more about the young woman who had given birth to him.

As a dedicated enthusiast, I’ve long felt that Sandra, a figure often overshadowed, has been unfairly overlooked in favor of Lord Lucan’s tale. This intrigue sparked within me the desire to delve deeper and uncover her story. After all, who else could possibly do it but someone who shares the same heartache and longing for justice as my mother?

While delving deeper into the mystery, Berriman found himself utterly baffled by the idea that Lucan, whom he harbored strong feelings of animosity towards for a long time, seemingly vanished without a trace from the world.

He pointed out that there was no evidence confirming his death,” he stated. “If he was indeed alive, I desired to witness him face justice.

Berriman, who is a builder, has spent numerous hours over the past years engrossed in a mission that has not only impacted him but also his partner Kim, as well as his adult children Oliver and Melissa from a previous marriage.

He declared, “It completely consumed us.” It was constant, encompassing all our conversations, and I could tell Kim was growing tired of it, yet it didn’t deter me. However, Kim remained supportive, and so did the children.

He acknowledges moments when he wishes he hadn’t opened the brown envelope 17 years ago due to the pain it has caused, but on a deeper level, he doesn’t regret it. His reasoning being that it stands for justice, which is more important to him. People often discuss this as a great mystery, but to him, that didn’t matter. What truly matters is the mother he never knew.

2024-10-29 17:33

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