Lecturer Rimmer is the social father of Arnold Rimmer (hist biological father being Dennis the Gardener). He was a lecturer at a university on Io, and out of disfavor for young Rimmer, treated him cruelly during Rimmer's attendance of his presumed father's classes. The elder Rimmer died in his sleep sometime during the 3 millions years Red Dwarf was waiting for internal radioactivity to achieve a safe level.