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Canoeist's wife guilty of fraud | Canoeist's wife guilty of fraud |
(20 minutes later) | |
Back-from-the-dead canoeist John Darwin's wife has been found guilty of fraudulently claiming £250,000 after helping her husband fake his own death. | Back-from-the-dead canoeist John Darwin's wife 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. | Anne Darwin had put forward the defence of "marital coercion", meaning her husband made her act against her will. |
As the jurors returned to the court, she smiled at them - but looked straight ahead as the verdicts were given on each of the 15 counts. | As the jurors returned to the court, she smiled at them - but looked straight ahead as the verdicts were given on each of the 15 counts. |
Her sons, who gave evidence against her, also showed no emotion as the guilty verdicts were given. | Her sons, who gave evidence against her, also showed no emotion as the guilty verdicts were given. |
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, prison officer John Darwin paddled out to sea near his home in Seaton Carew, then abandoned his boat and went into hiding. | In March 2002, prison officer John Darwin paddled out to sea near his home in Seaton Carew, then abandoned his boat and went into hiding. |
Detective Inspector Andy Greenwood gives his reaction outside court | Detective Inspector Andy Greenwood gives his reaction outside court |
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 for about four years. | |
When visitors called, he used a secret door to sneak into an adjoining bedsit, also owned by the Darwins. | When visitors called, he used a secret door to sneak into an adjoining bedsit, also owned by the Darwins. |
Growing a full beard to act as a disguise, former school teacher John Darwin used the name of a dead child John Jones to apply for a new passport - and even a library card. | |
Once his death was made "official", 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. | |
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. |
At first, his sons were pleased at his return and his wife, who was in Panama, professed her profound shock at his re-emergence. | |
But the couple's deceit became apparent to their family as a photo of them together in Panama in 2006 was published in the media. | |
'Callous and calculated' | 'Callous and calculated' |
Police believe John Darwin's 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. | 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 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 to this country." |
Gale Gilchrist, from Cleveland Crown Prosecution Service, who acted as junior counsel during the trial, said: "When John Darwin turned up 'from the dead' before Christmas last year it was seen at first as an amusing story for the festive season. | Gale Gilchrist, from Cleveland Crown Prosecution Service, who acted as junior counsel during the trial, said: "When John Darwin turned up 'from the dead' before Christmas last year it was seen at first as an amusing story for the festive season. |
"But this was a callous and calculated fraud. | "But this was a callous and calculated fraud. |
"The Darwins were willing to deceive family and friends and to waste considerable resources of the emergency services, all to maintain a lie that John Darwin had died and then exploit any compassion extended to them." | "The Darwins were willing to deceive family and friends and to waste considerable resources of the emergency services, all to maintain a lie that John Darwin had died and then exploit any compassion extended to them." |
Both will face sentencing later. | Both will face sentencing later. |
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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 |