Lord Lucan?

Ste Martine

Looking at the local paper yesterday I noticed their top story for the Lot department was about a British couple.

Much against my better judgement the story led to me looking at The Sun on-line. I wish I hadn't - ugh. The story is here if you really want to take a look at that revolting newspaper's website.

If you don't, I'll fill you in.

Some guy decided to fake his suicide (sound familiar?) by 'disappearing' on a ferry in the Irish Sea. A couple of months later he got in contact with his wife who was only too pleased to see him and they went off together to live in hiding. This all happened 14 years ago. His debts were paid off. Then he allegedly got a job as a security guard in the DSS office in Belfast. Finally, a couple of years ago they moved to France where they have been drawing pensions not only in the false identities they assumed but in his own name too.

You couldn't make it up, could you? The mistake they made was to let their four children know the whole story. A secret they kept for all this time until one daughter finally told all.

The only question is: Why did she wait so long? She and her siblings were apparently all appalled at the deceit and only one of them still speaks to their parents.

I suppose it is very easy for someone to come and live over here and take a new identity, settle down in one of the many remote cottages and have little to do with anyone else. I expect there are some people who do want to get away from their previous lives for whatever reason. But I do wonder if Lord Lucan might be living just around the corner?