Slipper of the Yard dies without quite getting his man | UK news

As an encounter, it was the criminal world's equivalent of Stanley finding Livingstone on the shores of Lake Tanganyika. Yesterday one of the participants, the detective who famously remarked "long time, no see, Ronnie," to fugitive train robber Ronnie Biggs when he tracked him down to a Rio de Janeiro hotel in 1974, died at

Slipper of the Yard dies without quite getting his man

As an encounter, it was the criminal world's equivalent of Stanley finding Livingstone on the shores of Lake Tanganyika.

Yesterday one of the participants, the detective who famously remarked "long time, no see, Ronnie," to fugitive train robber Ronnie Biggs when he tracked him down to a Rio de Janeiro hotel in 1974, died at the age of 81. Four years ago, not long after being diagnosed with cancer, Jack Slipper, or Slipper of the Yard, as he was always known, remarked: "I am older than Ronnie and it would give me great satisfaction to outlive him to show that my way of life was the best in the end."

In the end, Biggs, now desperately ill in prison and reportedly struck by MRSA, survived the man with whom he will be forever associated.

As a young detective sergeant, Jack Slipper had been a member of the squad that hunted the gang responsible for the 1963 great train robbery. Biggs had been jailed with the rest of them but had climbed over the wall of Wandsworth jail and disappeared.

When he was finally found in Brazil, it was Chief Superintendent Slipper who was sent out to bring him triumphantly home. But Biggs slipped through a loophole in Brazilian law because his girlfriend, Raimunda, was pregnant and Mr Slipper had to fly home with an empty seat beside him on the plane as a poignant reminder of the one who got away.

The episode became the subject of a BBC television film over which Mr Slipper successfully sued, claiming that it unfairly portrayed him as "the fall guy in an Ealing comedy".

Yesterday one of the first to offer condolences to Mr Slipper's family was Michael Biggs, the son whose birth saved his father from a lifetime in jail, although Ronnie Biggs returned to Britain in 2001 and gave himself up because of illness.

"Even though my father and Mr Slipper were on different sides of the fence, there was a very high and mutual respect between them," said Michael Biggs, who has been campaigning for his father to be released to spend his final days with his family.

"A clear sign of that is the fact Mr Slipper visited my father twice in Brazil. Our thoughts are with his family."

"He was one of the old school," said one retired bank robber in recognition of the old-fashioned style of a detective who believed in "coppering" and golf, and who found today's police service "too political".

"He was always affable," said Bruce Reynolds, who masterminded the great train robbery and who described the 6ft 3in ex-RAF Slipper as a "gentle giant."

He was famous for his neatly trimmed moustache and military bearing and, although irritated by all the jokes about the "slip-up" with Biggs, bore no grudges and was always happy to discuss the case, even admitting to a grudging respect for the man who eluded him for so long.

The Metropolitan police commissioner, Sir Ian Blair, said he was sorry to hear of Mr Slipper's death.

"I served under Jack Slipper's command as a detective constable while he was detective chief superintendent," said the commissioner. "I regarded him as the finest detective of his time and it was his inspiration that led me to work in CID for much of my career."

Other fellow officers joined in the plaudits for a man who also successfully investigated the fatal shooting of three police officers in Shepherds Bush in 1966. This led to the jailing of three men, one of whom, Harry Roberts, is still in prison.

"Through the illustrious history of the Flying Squad, Jack Slipper is a name that sits above all others as a tenacious investigator and well-respected head of the Flying Squad," said Detective Chief Superintendent Barry Phillips of the Flying Squad. "His detective ability, professionalism, commitment and dedication is something that all detectives should aspire to."

Mike McAdam, a former detective chief inspector on the Flying Squad and close friend of Mr Slipper, said: "Detective Chief Superintendent Slipper was one of the finest detectives in the last century. New Scotland Yard has a worldwide reputation and the name Jack Slipper, or Slipper of the Yard, is synonymous with the Yard."

As for the "long time, no see, Ronnie" remark, that may become the subject for an academic thesis.

In his book, The Train Robbers, Piers Paul Read suggests that Mr Slipper really said: "Nice to see you, Ronnie, it's been a long time."

Mr Slipper, who went on to a career in construction and as a media commentator on crime after retiring from the Met, leaves a wife of 57 years, Annie, two daughters and five grandchildren. His funeral will be held next week.

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