Callers rush to name ID fraudster

Christopher Edward Buckingham refuses to reveal his true identity

Police trying to discover the true identity of a man who has used the name of a dead baby for 23 years have been inundated with calls from the public.

Christopher Edward Buckingham, who stole his name in 1983 from the birth certificate of a baby who died 20 years earlier, was jailed on Tuesday.

Kent Police revealed on Wednesday they had received calls from people around the world who said they recognised him.

Buckingham was sentenced at Canterbury Crown Court to 21 months in prison.

'Inherited title'

He had admitted obtaining a passport by deception after being arrested in Dover in January when he arrived at the port by ferry.

During police interviews he refused to reveal his true identity and said he was Lord Buckingham and had inherited the title on his father's death in 1982.

The court was told that the real Christopher Buckingham was born in 1962 in Lambeth, south London, but had died in Selsey, West Sussex, the following year.

The calls to police have come after Buckingham's court case received extensive media coverage.

Det Con Dave Sprigg, in charge of the investigation, appealed for anyone who recognised Buckingham from his picture to contact police.

He doubted he would ever reveal his true identity.

"He's obviously got something to hide. He's lived a lie for 23 years and he's still living it," he said.

A police spokeswoman said on Tuesday all the information received would be investigated.

She said it was "early days" and too soon to say whether there were any strong leads.