Death Certificate Granted For Lord Lucan

Lord Lucan is now presumed dead 42 years after he vanished.

17:52 04 February 2016

Lord Lucan, who vanished 42 years ago, is now presumed to be dead, a High Court judge has ruled. The ruling gives his son, Lord Bingham, the right to inherit the family title.

 

He said: "I am very happy with the judgment of the court in this matter. It has been a very long time coming."

 

Lucan disappeared the night when his children’s nanny, Sandra Rivet, was murdered. He drove to a friend’s house in East Sussex in a borrowed car, which was later found abandoned in Newhaven with bloodstains inside.

 

Ms. Rivett’s son, 49-year-old Neil Berriman, said: "I think [Lucan is] dead. It is fantastic and I am very pleased for [Bingham]."

 

Lady Lucan has previously said that her husband admitted to committing the crime and that she believes Lucan jumped to his death from a ferry leaving Newhaven.

 

Outside the court, George Bingham - now the 8th Earl - said: "I've heard the most bizarre range of theories, some of them reasonably tasteless.

 

"My own personal view, and it was one I took as an eight-year-old boy, is that he has unfortunately been dead since that time.

 

"In the circumstances I would think it possible that he saw his life at an end, regardless of guilt or otherwise, being dragged through the courts and the media would have destroyed his personal life, his career and the chances of getting the custody of his children back. And that may well have pushed a man to end his own life, but I have no idea."