Neil Berriman, whose mum Sandra Rivett was murdered, is convinced that he had found the notorious Lord Lucas living in Brisbane, Australia
The mystery pensioner accused of being missing aristocrat Lord Lucan hiding in Australia said: “If I am Lord Lucan what the f**k you going to do? Put me in prison?”
He was tracked down by the son of the nanny murdered by Lucan. In 2020 the Mirror first revealed how Neil Berriman was convinced that he had found the notorious Lord living in Brisbane. Now there are new dramatic scenes included in the three new BBC documentaries, which are screened from tonight, to mark the 50th anniversary of the crime which stunned the world.
The frail pensioner, with a posh English accent, denies being Lucan but admits to officially changing his name on four separate occasions. Berriman confronted him off camera and he said the OAP told him: “If I am Lord Lucan what the f**k you going to do? Put me in prison?”
If alive Lucan would now be 89 years old. Following the meeting the mystery man later agreed to give an on the record on-camera interview without Berriman present. He said: “On the birth certificate it says Derek Bell Crowther. I think”
When questioned he said he was brought up in London, went to school at Eton and had links with the Royal Family. The old man said: “I grew up around London. Different places.” Asked if he went to Eton he replied: “Yeah I was sent there. I went to school, but I was also thrown out.”
He added: “Part of the family was English aristocracy, Buckingham Palace.” In the past there were even reports of links to Princess Margaret. He said: “I haven’t been on the run for 40 years – I’ve been trying to find reasonable places to live, companions and friends.
“I do not know who the hell Lord Lucan is .. ok. Now if you’re finished I’m getting bored with this interview.” But he insisted in a message to Berriman: “Wherever you are Neil I can assure you I am not that man, never have been, never will be.”
An emotional Berriman, a building contractor from Hampshire was reduced to tears as he spoke about his 17 year search for his mum’s killer. Berriman’s painstaking investigation led him to Australia where he believed Lucan was living as a Buddhist monk in a retreat.
But the man added: “I’m not a f**king buddhist – I’m not anything.” In a rambling interview he claimed to have worked as a window dresser in the posh London toy store Hamleys. He also bizarrely claimed that his grandfather had been involved in launching the original Daily Mirror.
And he claimed to have been the “western incarnation of the Dalai Lama”. Berriman was joined in confronting the man by John Hankin who was Sandra Rivett’s boyfriend, at the time of her murder in 1974. They were partners in London.
By an incredible coincidence he moved to Australia and actually lives near Brisbane. Hankin hasn’t spoken about the death of Sandra. But in recent months he has bonded with Berriman as they continued to mourn the death of their loved one.
When he saw the man in Queensland Hankin said immediately: “That’s Lord Lucan. I’d swear on my mother’s grave.” Hankin paid tribute to the investigative work of Berriman.
He said: “He certainly has got some of his mother’s guts. He’s a good man, he’s tenacious. I don’t think he should be a builder – he should be a bloody police officer. Sandra was a good person, a really good person. It’s important that somewhere down the track she gets a bit of justice.
“I was thinking about it the other night and I realised that I’m the only one who actually knew her.”
Sandra Rivett gave up her son for adoption shortly after birth. Berriman only discovered his background when he opened an envelope left for him after the death of his mum. It’s exactly 50 years ago tomorrow Sandra was murdered by Lord Lucan.
He fled and was never seen again. Some thought he committed suicide by jumping off a cross channel ferry – many others believed he escaped with the help of well-connected friends.
Lucan was officially declared dead by the High Court in 1999, but there have been reported sightings in Australia, Ireland, Africa and New Zealand, and even claims that he fled to India and lived life as a hippy called “Jungle Barry”.
Lucan’s car was found abandoned and soaked in blood in Newhaven, East Sussex, and an inquest jury formally declared him the killer a year later.
In 2016, Lord Lucan’s son Lord George Bingham inherited his title as the eighth earl after he applied for a death certificate 42 years after his father vanished, under the Presumption of Death Act, which came into effect in 2014.
Berriman remains convinced that “the man in Australia is Lord Lucan.” He said his enquiries will continue in memory of his mum.
