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Canoe wife 'did not want money' Canoe wife felt her sons' 'pain'
(about 1 hour 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 felt her sons' "pain" when she lied to them and told them their father was dead.
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: "We couldn't lay our problems on their shoulders. I was feeling their pain."
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. Giving evidence at Teesside Crown Court, she said she thought the pretence would only last a few months.
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 The trial has heard how the Anne Darwin was allegedly involved in fraudulently obtaining £250,000 by helping fake her husband's death.
They had debts of £64,000 on a portfolio of properties, but Anne Darwin told the court she "did not want the money".
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: "Feeling their pain? You, their mother, could have brought it to an end like that.
Mrs Darwin replied: "I knew that. I wasn't looking forward to it." "Can't you speak to your children - 'your dad has gone off the rails for goodness sake, we have to sort it out'."
The prosecutor replied: "But you did it, didn't you?" She replied: "It's not as easy as that. We couldn't lay our problems on their shoulders."
She answered: "I had no choice." Mr Robertson said: "But you could tell them their father was dead."
Mrs Darwin then went on to explain how her "overbearing husband" would force her to do things that she did not want to do. Overbearing husband
Mrs Darwin said she thought the pretence would only have to last a few months before their finances would be sorted out and she could come clean to her children.
"I thought when it was explained to them they would understand," she added.
Mrs Darwin said 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."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.