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Trial starts for canoe man's wife Canoe man's wife played key role
(19 minutes later)
The wife of canoeist John Darwin, who walked into a police station five years after being presumed dead, has appeared in court at the start of her trial. The wife of back-from-the-dead canoeist John Darwin played a "vital role" in defrauding £250,000 after his disappearance, a court has heard.
Anne Darwin is charged with five counts of obtaining money by deception and one of obtaining property by deception. Anne Darwin convinced insurance companies, a coroner and her sons that he had died in a canoe accident, Teesside Crown Court was told.
The 56-year-old's trial at Teesside Crown Court relates to alleged deception totalling £250,000. The 56-year-old denies five counts of obtaining money by deception and one of obtaining property by deception.
John Darwin has admitted obtaining cash by deception and will be sentenced after his wife's hearing concludes. Mr Darwin has admitted deception and will be sentenced later.
His canoe was found in the sea close to his home at Seaton Carew in 2002. He walked into a police station five years after being presumed dead after his canoe was found in the sea close to his home at Seaton Carew in 2002.
Moved to PanamaMoved to Panama
A huge air-sea search failed to find any trace of his body, and he was later pronounced dead.A huge air-sea search failed to find any trace of his body, and he was later pronounced dead.
Mrs Darwin subsequently sold the family home and moved to Panama. Andrew Robertson QC, prosecuting at the opening of the trial on Monday, told the jury that a financial crisis motivated the couple to stage Mr Darwin's death and then claim insurance and pension money.
She was arrested at Manchester Airport when she flew back to England following her husband's reappearance last December. He said: "They were at risk of being made bankrupt - the shame and embarrassment of which neither of them wished to face.
Detectives said the couple's sons Mark, 32, and Anthony, 29, were "innocent victims" and were not being treated as suspects. "Out of this dire financial situation, seeds of this fraud were born.
"The initial idea may well have been John Darwin's rather than Anne's but, in the Crown's submission, it was a scheme in which Anne Darwin not only played an equal and vital role but it was a role which she played with superb aplomb."
At Leeds Crown Court in March, John Darwin also admitted a passport offence but denied nine charges of using criminal property.At Leeds Crown Court in March, John Darwin also admitted a passport offence but denied nine charges of using criminal property.
He will not face trial for the charges he denied, which will be left to lie on file.He will not face trial for the charges he denied, which will be left to lie on file.