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Canoe wife 'did not want money' Canoe wife 'did not want money'
(19 minutes later)
The wife of missing canoeist John Darwin, accused of helping fake his death to fraudulently claim £250,000, told jurors: "I didn't want the money". The wife of back-from-the-dead canoeist John Darwin has told jurors she did not want a £250,000 life insurance payout.
During cross-examination by the prosecution, Anne Darwin said money was not important to her. Anne Darwin, who is accused of helping to fake her husband's death, said: "I didn't want the money. Money was not important to me."
On the fifth day of her trial at Teesside Crown Court, she said she did not tell her sons their father was still alive because she felt trapped. During cross-examination by prosecutors at Teesside Crown Court, she said she did not tell her sons their father was still alive because she felt trapped.
The 56-year-old denies deception and money-laundering charges.The 56-year-old denies deception and money-laundering charges.
John Darwin, who vanished from the sea close to his Hartlepool home in March 2002 only to reappear last Christmas, has admitted deception and will be sentenced later. Mr Darwin, who vanished from the sea close to his Hartlepool home in March 2002 only to reappear last Christmas, has admitted deception and will be sentenced later.
TIMELINE OF EVENTS March 2002 - John Darwin reported missing in the sea off Seaton CarewSearch and rescue operation finds no trace of his bodyWeeks later, his red canoe washes up on a nearby beachApril 2003 - coroner records open verdict into John Darwin's deathAnne Darwin collects life insurance and pension policies worth about £250,000Summer 2007 - Anne Darwin moves to PanamaDecember 2007 - John Darwin walks into a police station and declares himself a missing person Photograph emerges showing Anne and John Darwin together in PanamaBoth are charged with deception offencesJohn Darwin admits deception, but his wife denies the chargesJuly 2008 - Anne Darwin's trial starts on Teesside
Mrs Darwin was asked how she could deceive her sons Mark, 32, and Anthony, 29.
Andrew Robertson QC, prosecuting, said: "You knew when you went to pick him [Mr Darwin] up to make his getaway that you were going to hurt your children in the most acute way imaginable."
Mrs Darwin replied: "I knew that. I wasn't looking forward to it."
The prosecutor replied: "But you did it, didn't you?"
She answered: "I had no choice."
Mrs Darwin then went on to explain how her "overbearing husband" would force her to do things that she did not want to do.
Mr Robertson asked her: "If John had said to you to, 'Anne, I want you to go and jump off a cliff', you would, because John told you to, even if you didn't want to because he had overborne your will?"
She replied: "I think that's a very unfair comparison. You were not there to see how I lived."
The former doctor's receptionist also denied knowing the extent of the couple's debt problems.
The trial continues.