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| Canoe man's wife had 'vital role' | |
| (9 minutes later) | |
| 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. | 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 convinced insurance companies, a coroner and her sons that he had died in a canoe accident, Teesside Crown Court was told. | 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 denies five counts of obtaining money by deception and one of obtaining property by deception. | The 56-year-old denies five counts of obtaining money by deception and one of obtaining property by deception. |
| Mr Darwin has admitted deception and will be sentenced later. | Mr Darwin has admitted deception and will be sentenced later. |
| 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. | 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. |
| Bankruptcy risk | |
| 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. |
| 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. | 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. |
| He said: "They were at risk of being made bankrupt - the shame and embarrassment of which neither of them wished to face. | He said: "They were at risk of being made bankrupt - the shame and embarrassment of which neither of them wished to face. |
| "Out of this dire financial situation, seeds of this fraud were born. | "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." | "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. |