Lord Lucan’s brother ‘said sibling was living as Buddhist overseas’

Up until his death Mr Bingham had been writing a book about his brother’s disappearance (Image: Getty)Lord Lucan’s brother knew his sibling had adopted a new identity and was living as a Buddhist overseas, it is claimed. Hugh Bingham, who died in 2018, was having an off-the-record chat with ex-BBC journalist Glen Campbell when he described how the aristocrat fled the country after his family’s nanny was killed.A decade ago Mr Bingham said he was sure his sibling had escaped to Africa on this day 48 years ago, after the murder of 29-year-old Sandra Rivett, on November 7, 1974.And now it has been revealed that in 2014, after being interviewed for BBC1 news investigation programme Inside Out, he asked whether the camera was off and then said to Mr Campbell: ‘Do you want to know what really happened?’Speaking about his off-camera chat with Bingham in 2014, Mr Campbell told the Daily Mirror: ‘Hugh told me about his brother being a Buddhist – and then when I discovered this man living in Australia was a Buddhist it was the first time everything fell into place.’After establishing the camera was off and he wasn’t being recorded, Mr Bingham told Mr Campbell: ‘My brother did get out of England alive, and I know he was living under some sort of alias.”I still don’t know how he managed to get away. But I do know my brother would never have committed suicide.’He completely rejected his former lifestyle and adopted a simpler, more reflective life following a Buddhist belief system.’I’d heard he moved down through India, living in hostels and refuges run by people of similar beliefs.’The revelation comes after reports emerged yesterday that a British pensioner living in the city of Brisbane in Australia has been identified as the missing Lord Lucan by facial recognition software.The man was found by Ms Rivett’s son, Neil Berriman. He is 87, the same age Lucan – real name John Bingham – would be.Computer scientist Professor Hassan Ugail, at the University of Bradford, used an artificial intelligence algorithm to run 4,000 cross-checks of seven photos – four of Lucan and three of the mystery pensioner.He says the algorithm linking Lucan to the pensioner in Australia is ‘never wrong’.Up until his death from cancer in July 2018 Mr Bingham had been writing a book about his brother’s disappearance and this was expected to detail how the aristocrat vanished.But it is said that days before he died people he knew from New York paid him a surprise visit and took away his documents about what happened.When he contacted the lawyers in New York who had the manuscript and papers he was met with a wall of silence. The contents of the documents have never been revealed.The Metropolitan Police say Australian officers investigated the identity of the Brisbane pensioner and say he is not Lord Lucan.But Sandra Rivett’s son Neil Berriman dismissed this claim and is calling for the 87-year-old to be arrested. Sandra Rivett’s son, Neil Berriman (Image: PA)He said: ‘I just don’t believe they carried out any extensive inquiries. They have never shown me any evidence whatsoever. The Met have simply made Australian Police the scapegoats.’Professor Ugail is a scientist – his algorithm has never been wrong before.’The facial recognition technology says the photos are the same man. This new development means they need to go back to this man. How have they ruled him out?’My mother was murdered and deserves justice. This man has to be questioned and arrested now.’The Met said the case remains open and that all significant information will be considered.It was made aware of information relating to an Australian citizen in connection to the case in December 2020.The person was eliminated from the investigation in April last year, following extensive enquiries and investigations made by the Australian Federal Police on behalf of the Met Police.