Saturday, 20 March 2010

This is a true account of my connection with David Bingham.

WE first met aboard ship where I had a brief Acquaintance with him, while being his instructor. David was a clever dick; knew every thing - cocky little sod, after I threatened him with a week in the slammer for insolence he quietened down,he was disliked by his classmates and myself in particular.
I having left the Royal Navy in 1966, about five years after flying into Hong Kong with Lt/Cdr R,T. a former antagonist in the Portland spy saga, then more than a decade had passed since the initial meeting with D B, before I did a cold call at David Binghams residence, seeing me he slammed the door on me. In another attempt to call a little later my senior management gave me an item for display to Mrs Bingham who apparently was a major spendthrift and she agreed to the arrangement. Unfortunately I was set up to do the delivery which found his nibs answering the door bell again. I was halfway in saying "This is yours nothing to pay" when D B said, "Stuff it up your ass you effing peasant". To my knowledge the item was never delivered or collected. However, at the time I did notice he was showing a degree of nervousness after I mentioned his present problem will soon see you doing time in the slammer. the incident was recorded and I personally mentioned the matter to a retired officer friend and of course my senior management, the time date was approx late 1970.
I later received official info from management not to go near or contact D B. there was a definite ring about it being a bit dodgy.
Early in 1971, I was bombarded with advice suggesting Australia was the best thing for my family, later my family and I decided to migrate to Australia, and we arrived Aug 4 1971. It was early in 1972 when I received a letter and press cuttings from Mr F---h my ex boos in Portsmouth England, with ref to D B's arrest for espionage.
I sent a letter of thanks but did not comment.
It was in 70's when writing to my Bro in law's - son in law who was a screw at the prison in Bisley, while there I sent D B a congratulatory message while serving his 21 years for espionage.
After early release D B was resettled in the midlands with a change of identity but was unfortunately killed in a road accident a little later.

David Bingham, Naval Spy.
Sub-Lieutenant David Bingham served, as a weapons electronics officer, aboard HMS Rothesay, a modified Type 12 Anti-Air Frigate, F107 commisioned on 23rd April 1960. David Bingham was aged 31 and was married with four children. Maureen Bingham, his wife, was a comfort shopper, a so-called 'shopoholic'. In addition to that she was also addicted to gambling. Sub-Lt Bingham's salary was not sufficiently high to finance his wifes' shopping and betting expeditions and this lack of finance almost certainly motivated Maureen to knock on the door of the Russian Embassy during a trip to London and offer the services of her husband to the KGB.

Whilst at the embassy she met with Russian Consular Officials who invited her to return sometime later to a Tea-Party under the cover of researching a book on "housewives of the world."

It was later disclosed that her husband, Sub-Lt Bingham, was ignorant of the methods used by his wife to secure further funding for her indulgences fired by her peculiar personality traits.

Maureen Bingham had photographed pages from an exercise book used by her husband for notes and deliberately induced 'camera shake' to ensure that the photographic content of the resultant prints were illegible. She was well aware that the 'intelligence' that she was supplying to the Russians was of no use at all and boasted later that she was 'taking them for a ride'.

The debts mounted as Maureen Bingham pursued her self-indulgent and excessive shopping. This expenditure coupled with the gambling debts led to her selling the family car without the knowledge of the Hire Purchase company who had financed purchase. This excessive behaviour led to subsequent arranged meetings with the Russian Naval Attache, Lory Turifmovich resulting in the Binghams receiving GBP 2800 for photographs left in a dead letter box.

Maureen Bingham later stated that David had never wanted to pursue this course and had gone along with her activities because there was no other choice, fearing for the safety of their four children.

Sub-Lt Bingham was terrified of what the eventual outcome of these actions would be, especially aware of the confidence trick being performed on the Russians by his wife.

It was obvious to David Bingham that the Russians knew that the photos supplied by Maureen were of no use whatsoever, but being aware of his position, he would be of use to them in the future. This fact was seen during the resultant court hearing at Bingham's trial, for espionage, when the court was told that one document supplied by Bingham was 'almost beyond price'.

Eventually Bingham was called to a meeting with the Russian handlers. The meeting took place in some woods. David Bingham had taken his son, Karl, with him and during the meeting Bingham told the Russians that he "had had enough" and that he "didn't care, not having a life". At this point a Russian placed a gun to Bingham's head and asked "What about your children's lives?"

On his return, and wishing to protect his children, Bingham approached a senior Officer and informed him of the spying activities. Unfortunately with David Bingham being of good character the officer refused to believe what he was hearing and David Bingham was forced to go and tell the Police. Sub-Lt Bingham was immediately arrested and thence formerly charged.

In 1972 the story of his treachery was printed in the newspapers and was described as 'being beyond belief'. Bingham himself was descibed as "the most despicable traitor in the history of post-war espionage". The defence counsel called the case "a story of almost incredible folly" whilst the court saw that David Bingham's confession read like "a badly written spy-novel - a lurid melodrama of secret assignations, signals that involved leaving empty packets of cigarettes in rural telephone boxes and posting church notices to addresses in Kensington".

At the time of the trial the Conservative Prime Minister Edward Heath had authorised the expulsion of 105 Soviet diplomats and officials from Great Britain for espionage.

At Winchester Crown Court, David Bingham confessed to photographing naval documents and as a result was sentenced to imprisonment, a total of 126 years on 12 counts, to run concurrently, a sentence of 21 years.

After her husband's trial Maureen Bingham returned to the Russian embassy, with the Press, and declared that "it was all my fault" and that "the Russians were always very concerned about myself and our four children. They treated us better than the Royal Navy ever did".

Maureen Bingham was subsequently arrested and charged with offences under the Official Secrets Act. She was psychologically examined and the subsequent report stated that she was a pathological liar.

Maureen Bingham was sentenced to two and a half years in prison.

During her trial the judge described her as "having opened the door" to her husband's spying activities. He went on to state that she was "a lady of almost disastrous loquacity".

With both parents serving gaol sentences the children were placed in care, moved between children's homes and foster parents for the rest of their childhood. David Bingham had secured his children's security at least. After serving only seven years of the original twenty one year sentence David Bingham was released from gaol.

He quietly settled down and rebuilt his life, changing his name to Brough and remarrying. Bingham (or Brough) ran a small hotel in Bournemouth, Sussex and also became the vice-president of the local Conservative Club. The members were probably unaware that he had previously spied for the Russians. He also opened an alternative healing centre in Stratford offering therapies at GBP 20 a session.

In February 1997 Bingham/Brough lost control of the car that he was driving, in Stratford-upon-Avon, crashing into a tree. Bingham/Brough died as a result of the accident, along with his dog, who was also present in the car. The crash occurred during severe gales which were sweeping the country. He was 56.


Je suis perdu said...

Australia !.Est-ce que la re'gion
est sure?

Vest said...

Dunno sport, depends on the individual, can't think of anyone likely wanting to nail my nuts to the floorboards other than the old nag from Rainer Minnesota who flies a broomstick on the full moon.

Amy..Swansea. said...

Lots of smoke with intrigue Vesty but no burns for you.

WALLY. said...

Mum and I are wondering what sorts of other things you got up to. a bit dodgy did you say.

Lower deck lawyer. said...

Vest. The average run of the mill citizen would need four or five lifetimes to absorb your lifetime of both legal and nefarious activities, Mike.

C A. said...

So there were nefarious activities on your part, are you going to mention these?
Re D B, were you aware he resided near you, where ever that was?

Vest said...

C A: Only if you mention yours!!

Was unaware he lived a half mile distant as the crow flies. A mutual cold call, little doubt senior management were aware.
BTW, didn't I tell you to P O. in a recent post.

Anonymous said...

I suppose D B was a clever man whose downfall was his controlling spouse. Do you have any compassion for him?

Vest said...

Anon , or is it C A again:
I have no compassion for people who deliberately stuff up their lives, I leave that to members of the faith industry.

Anonymous said...

Its funny reading this as I knew both David and Maureen Bingham. My sister was married to their youngest son, for, well not very long. Knowing what Maureen was like doesn't surprise me that she was the one behind all of this. She has since been found guilty of benefit fraud and believe me in the few years that I knew her was very minipulative and on the take all of the time. As for David Bingham, he seemed like a nice man and changed his life after he got out of prison and, how do I put this politely dumped the wife! It was very sad when he had the accident, certainly for his family. Although as you can probably imagine, Maureen was the most distraught, so she says!

Paul Beaumont said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Donna-marie Wilkins said...

David Bingham was my father he wasn't a nice man he conned people till the day he died he didn't care about his children and would only show up if we we're of some use to him. My first husband nearly died in an accident and when he got wind of the fact we could be getting a large pay out he and my step mother turned up offering to help after years of ignoring me like a fool I thought he finally cared but within months realised he didn't he walked out my door never to return when I refused to give him money from my husbands compensation money for a car. He never cared about anyone but himself and conned a lot of people during his life and much more!

Anonymous said...

I attended this crash as a traffic bobby the weather was terrible that day and we had been kept on duty because of the anticipation of major incidents on the motorway network. The car was totally destroyed by fire containing the body of Bingham, who was later identified, and his dog in the back. There was a lot of conjecture by investigating experts as to why the crash had occured. The Volvo had driven down a straight road, passing a rep sat in a field entrance eating his lunch, and no effort whatsoever had been made to follow the road round to the right and avoid the tree.
Ady S
