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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
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| Canoeist wife launches appeal bid | Canoeist wife launches appeal bid |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Anne Darwin, the wife of canoeist John Darwin, has lodged an appeal against her conviction and sentence for fraud and money laundering. | Anne Darwin, the wife of canoeist John Darwin, has lodged an appeal against her conviction and sentence for fraud and money laundering. |
| The 56-year-old was found guilty of 15 charges after a seven-day trial at Teesside Crown Court last month. | The 56-year-old was found guilty of 15 charges after a seven-day trial at Teesside Crown Court last month. |
| She was jailed for six-and-a-half years while her husband, who admitted deception, was jailed for six years. | She was jailed for six-and-a-half years while her husband, who admitted deception, was jailed for six years. |
| If her appeal is given the go-ahead, Anne Darwin's case will be heard at the Court of Appeal. | If her appeal is given the go-ahead, Anne Darwin's case will be heard at the Court of Appeal. |
| John Darwin vanished while canoeing in the sea off Seaton Carew, near Hartlepool, in 2002. | |
| The 57-year-old reappeared at a London police station in December last year claiming he had lost his memory. | |
| 'Severe sentence' | |
| But he and his wife were later convicted of a £250,000 fraud, in which they conned sons Mark and Anthony, friends, police and insurance companies into believing Mr Darwin drowned. | |
| Anne Darwin said that her "domineering" husband forced her to go through with the plan to con insurance and pension companies by faking his death at sea. | |
| But her claims were rejected by trial judge Mr Justice Wilkie, who told the Darwins their sons' lives were "crushed" by the deception, and that meant a severe sentence was needed. | |
| She was convicted of six counts of fraud and nine of money laundering. |