A photograph showing the weapon believed to have been used by Lord Lucan to murder his family’s nanny Sandra Rivett has surfaced for the first time.
The image, taken 41 years ago, captures two pieces of lead piping lying atop a bloodstained mailbag – chilling evidence from the infamous 1974 crime that gripped the nation when Lucan vanished after the attack.
The photo, taken inside Scotland Yard’s Black Museum, was snapped by Sandy Kaye, a crime TV producer known for her work on shows like Police 5 and Crimestoppers.
Kaye, who was granted rare access to the museum, recalled the haunting moment in March 1983 when police officers granted her a glimpse of the artifacts tied to one of Britain’s most notorious mysteries.
“I realised even then this could be an important picture,” Kaye told the Mirror.
“But it was shocking to see that officers handled the items without gloves, showing little care to preserve such crucial evidence.”
Kaye stored the slide in a safe for four decades, believing it to be an invaluable part of British crime history.
With this month marking 50 years since Rivett’s tragic death, Kaye felt it was time to release the image.
The BBC is also running a series of documentaries this week exploring whether Lord Lucan, who would now be 89, might have successfully escaped the UK, possibly with the aid of wealthy friends who helped him flee to Australia.
Kaye, who worked closely with Scotland Yard for years, remembers her surprise at being allowed to photograph the Lucan artifacts in the museum.
“It was a shocking moment,” she said.
“I was looking at a bloodstained USA mailbag and the lead pipes allegedly used by Lucan. I took just one photo, but I felt it was significant, so I had it developed at Scotland Yard’s processing unit and then locked it away in my lawyer’s safe.”
Kaye’s remarkable career in crime television gave her special insight into high-profile cases.
Her connection to the Lucan case runs deeper than the museum artifact; she had briefly met Lord Lucan in 1973, just a year before Rivett’s murder, at London’s exclusive Annabel’s club, where Lucan was a regular.
She recalled being introduced to him by chef Albert Roux, a mutual acquaintance.
“It was strange meeting him, not knowing the story that would unfold,” Kaye reflected.
The Lucan case remains one of Britain’s most enduring mysteries.
In 1974, police suspected Lucan intended to kill his estranged wife, Lady Lucan, but mistakenly attacked Rivett, the family nanny.
After Rivett’s murder, Lucan disappeared, and despite numerous alleged sightings, he was never found.
Many believe Lucan’s high-society connections allowed him to escape, a theory Kaye supports: “His friends were part of the ‘creme de la creme’ of British society. My gut feeling is that he managed to escape with their help.”
Neil Berriman, Rivett’s son, has spent years searching for the truth.
The murder weapon and mailbag, once held by Scotland Yard, have mysteriously vanished, adding another layer of intrigue to the case.
Kaye, now 80 and retired in Spain, remains fascinated by the case that still resonates with the British public half a century later.
She added: “It’s incredible we’re still talking about it.”
The Metropolitan Police confirmed the case is still open and that any significant new information could reignite the investigation.
