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Canoeist's wife guilty of fraud | Canoeist's wife guilty of fraud |
(20 minutes later) | |
The wife of back-from-the-dead canoeist John Darwin has been found guilty of fraudulently claiming £250,000 after helping her husband fake his own death. | The wife of back-from-the-dead canoeist John Darwin has been found guilty of fraudulently claiming £250,000 after helping her husband fake his own death. |
Anne Darwin, 56, convinced insurance companies, a coroner and her sons that he had died in a canoe accident. | Anne Darwin, 56, convinced insurance companies, a coroner and her sons that he had died in a canoe accident. |
She was convicted of six fraud charges and nine of money laundering at Teesside Crown Court. | She was convicted of six fraud charges and nine of money laundering at Teesside Crown Court. |
Mr Darwin, who reappeared five years after vanishing in the sea near Hartlepool, has admitted deception. | Mr Darwin, who reappeared five years after vanishing in the sea near Hartlepool, has admitted deception. |
Anne Darwin had put forward the defence of "marital coercion", meaning her husband made her act against her will, but her claims were dismissed by the jury. | Anne Darwin had put forward the defence of "marital coercion", meaning her husband made her act against her will, but her claims were dismissed by the jury. |
The couple came up with the plot as they faced bankruptcy. | The couple came up with the plot as they faced bankruptcy. |
In March 2002, John Darwin paddled out to sea near his home in Seaton Carew, then abandoned his boat and went into hiding. | In March 2002, John Darwin paddled out to sea near his home in Seaton Carew, then abandoned his boat and went into hiding. |
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John Darwin used a hidden door to sneak into the adjoining house | John Darwin used a hidden door to sneak into the adjoining house |
His wife raised the alarm after driving him in secret to Durham railway station and a huge air sea rescue operation was mounted, without success. | His wife raised the alarm after driving him in secret to Durham railway station and a huge air sea rescue operation was mounted, without success. |
He apparently spent several weeks in the Lake District, then returned home, where Anne Darwin kept him hidden inside the house. | |
When visitors called, he used a secret door to sneak into an adjoining bedsit, also owned by the Darwins. | |
Anne Darwin claimed her husband's £25,000 life insurance policy, his £25,000 teacher's pension, his £58,000 prison service pension, £4,000 in payouts from the Department of Work and Pensions, and a £137,000 Norwich Union mortgage insurance policy. | |
Anne Darwin was pictured with her husband while he was still "missing" | |
The couple planned to start a new life together in Panama, but the plot unravelled when John Darwin walked into a London police station last December. | The couple planned to start a new life together in Panama, but the plot unravelled when John Darwin walked into a London police station last December. |
Police believe his sudden return may have been sparked by a row. | |
Speaking outside Teesside Crown Court, Det Insp Andy Greenwood, of Cleveland Police, said: "We're pleased with the verdict received. Anne Darwin has been a compulsive liar. | |
"Every time evidence was put to her she came up with an account - she reacted to the evidence and another account was brought out. | "Every time evidence was put to her she came up with an account - she reacted to the evidence and another account was brought out. |
"This is just 'half time'. Asset recovery teams will make sure that all the couple's financial benefits realised from this plot will be brought back into to this country." | "This is just 'half time'. Asset recovery teams will make sure that all the couple's financial benefits realised from this plot will be brought back into to this country." |
Both will face sentencing later. | Both will face sentencing later. |