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Canoe wife 'did not want money' | Canoe wife 'did not want money' |
(20 minutes later) | |
The wife of back-from-the-dead canoeist John Darwin has told jurors she did not want a £250,000 life insurance payout. | The wife of back-from-the-dead canoeist John Darwin has told jurors she did not want a £250,000 life insurance payout. |
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." | 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." |
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. | 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. |
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. | 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 | 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. | 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." | 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." | Mrs Darwin replied: "I knew that. I wasn't looking forward to it." |
The prosecutor replied: "But you did it, didn't you?" | The prosecutor replied: "But you did it, didn't you?" |
She answered: "I had no choice." | 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. | 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?" | 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." | 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 former doctor's receptionist also denied knowing the extent of the couple's debt problems. |
And when asked whether pretending someone was dead to claim insurance money was in fact fraud, she replied: "I didn't understand it to be fraud at the time." | |
The trial continues. | The trial continues. |