Police keep observation on man abroad after inquest verdict of murder by Lord Lucan HO-ME NEWS, By Clive Borrell Lord Lucan murdered Mrs Sandra Rivett, aged 29, the nursemaid to his three children; it was decided by an inquest Jutry yesterday. A warrant com- miiting him for trial to the Central Criminal Court was issued by Dr Gavin Tliurston, the Westminster Coroner. The jury of three women and six nicn had retired for only half an hour on the fourth day of the inquest. Imniediately after the verdict hiad been returned, senior Scot- land Yard detectives said that they were " makinig active in- quiries" abroad in an attempt to trace Lord Lucan, who has not been seen since the day after the murder. A detective said: Now wve have more positive evi- dence that he is living under an asstumed name. and with a com- pletly different appearance, in a country wvhich I am not prepared to disclose. Observalion is being kept on a man. L.ater, Lady Lucan, who said dturing the inquest that she was attacked at her Lower Beigrave Street home by her husband on the same night that Mrs Rivett's body was found there trussed np in a sack, issued a statement through her solicitors. It said: I am obviously relieved that the coroner's inquirv is over. I intend to put the past behind me so far as I can and continue to lead a family life. As to the inquiry, you have heard my evidence. My husband's' interests were repre- sented before the coroner and the jury have returned their verdict. I cannot say that I am pleased or displeased wvith the verdict. 1 was only concerned wvih establishing the facts. A question bothering the jury on Wednesday was: How did Lady Lucan know that Mrs Rivett had been murdered. The barman of a public house near her home had givenl evidencd that she had rushed in late on Novemt.ber. 7. saying: "He has murdered thaE nanny". Before his summing-up, Dr Thurston said: You should not speculate as to how this came. to be said. You should not draw any inference in any direction. The difficulty is that in law Lady Lucan is barred from giving evidence concerning her husband, other than concern- ing an assault upon her. You have heard a great deal of evi- dence in other directions. Dr Thurston reminded the jury of his great anxiety on Monday about whether to call Lady Lucan at all, a-lthough she and her husband had been separated for some time. Lord Lucan, he said, was not present in court and if his conduct was going to be considered it was only right tlhat certain poilntS he had put in his letters and what could be learnt from hearsay should be heard. That hearsay evidence, Dr Thurston said, would presumably be what Lord Lucan would wish to say.-He added : It is fairly clear from the letters written by Lord Lucan that there is existing in the family animosity, tensions and matters which, if aired, could only be prejudicial and painful to those concerned. Simply to turn this into a forum for airing family tensions would be wrong and I do not think that justice would be served by doing so. He said that three letters written by Lord Lucan to Mr Willm Shand-Kydd, his brotherHin.law, anld Mr Michael 'Stoop, an old friend, were evidence to showv what was in Lord Lucan's mind but they should not be -treated as proof of statements made in them. There wvas n1o doubt from the evidence that Lord %Lucan was devoted to his thiee children and looked forward.to hiis next opportunity of taking them out under the access order made by the High Court when they were given into the custody of Lady Lucain. The coroner went on "Lady Lucan describes herself as having been attacked without any doubt whatsQever bv her husband. As regards the motive, that is a matter of conjecture." Of the financial state of Lord Lucan's affairs, he said: " Tlier- is no doubt that, as a result of ihe separation, he was lhaving to keep two establishrnen:s with all 'their outgoings.. It could have' eased,his situation if he 1lad only one: establishment instead of two." He continued: I do not tlhink that in this case I can ask you to consider the ques- tion of accidental death or anv other finding than that these in- juriet were inflicted by some person or persons unknown. If you are satisfied with the evidence that you have heard, then that is your verdict. I cannot see on this evidence how I can possibly offer you any alternative. You have&to ascertain the -persons, if any, to be chargeU with murder or manslaughter. On the . evidence, you have got to decide whether you can name the person respon. sible. You have got the facts bfore you-you have the possi- bility of an intruder- and you have to consider what a very serious matter this is. After the foreman had given the jury's verdict, Dr Thurston commented: "It is a very rare prodedure iti coroner's couirts for a person to be named as you have done. It is my duty to commit that person for trial at the Central Criminal Court." He added that, as Lorcl Lucan was not present, the verdict would remain on thc file. A wvarrant was issued in November sooni after Mrs Rivett's bodv had been dis- covered, naming Lord Lucan as being wanted for questioning in connexion with the murder. Police keep observation on man aboad after inquest verdict of murder bv Lord Lucan :: 00