Ronnie Biggs time from first meeting to Biggs's flight to Brazil. In 1970, when Biggs arrived in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil did not have an extradition treaty with the United Kingdom. In 1971, Biggs's eldest son, Nicholas, aged 10, died in a car crash in Melbourne. In 1974, "Daily Express" reporter Colin MacKenzie received information suggesting that Biggs was in Rio de Janeiro; a team consisting of MacKenzie, photographer Bill Lovelace and reporter Michael O'Flaherty confirmed this and broke the story. Scotland Yard detective Jack Slipper arrived soon afterwards, but Biggs could not be extradited because his girlfriend, nightclub dancer Raimunda de
Ronnie Biggs and travelled to Britain from Australia to visit Biggs in February 2012, just before filming for "Mrs Biggs". In March 2013, Biggs attended the funeral of fellow train robber, Bruce Reynolds. In July 2013, "The Great Train Robbery 50th Anniversary:1963–2013" was published, with input from Biggs and Reynolds. On 18 December 2013, aged 84, Biggs died at the Carlton Court Care Home in Barnet, north London, where he was being cared for. His death coincidentally occurred hours before the first broadcast of a two-part BBC television series "The Great Train Robbery", in which Biggs was portrayed by actor Jack Gordon.