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Canoe fraudsters to pay £600,000 | Canoe fraudsters to pay £600,000 |
(31 minutes later) | |
The wife of back-from-the-dead canoeist John Darwin has offered to return more than half a million pounds of money the couple obtained fraudulently. | The wife of back-from-the-dead canoeist John Darwin has offered to return more than half a million pounds of money the couple obtained fraudulently. |
Lawyers for Anne Darwin said she would pay back £591,838 made from the scam she staged with her husband John, a Proceeds of Crime hearing was told. | |
The pair, from Seaton Carew, Teesside, were jailed after he faked his death to claim life insurance and pension cash. | The pair, from Seaton Carew, Teesside, were jailed after he faked his death to claim life insurance and pension cash. |
John Darwin agreed to pay a nominal sum of £1, as he has no financial assets. | John Darwin agreed to pay a nominal sum of £1, as he has no financial assets. |
The confiscation hearing started at Leeds Crown Court earlier. | |
From Catherine Marston at Leeds Crown Court | |
Anne Darwin listened intently as the prosecution explained neither she nor her husband will contest the amount of money which must be repaid. | |
Silent for much of the hearing, she only spoke to confirm her name. | |
The court proceedings had been delayed to allow a two minutes silence to be observed for Remembrance Day but once the case began it soon became clear Anne Darwin would be repaying over £591,000. | |
She is liable because all the assets are in her name. Her husband John will pay a nominal sum of just one pound. | |
The couple convinced the police, a coroner, financial institutions and even their two sons that John Darwin had drowned while canoeing in the North Sea in 2002. | The couple convinced the police, a coroner, financial institutions and even their two sons that John Darwin had drowned while canoeing in the North Sea in 2002. |
However, he had been hidden away in a flat next door to his wife's home, and they later embarked on a new life in Panama. | However, he had been hidden away in a flat next door to his wife's home, and they later embarked on a new life in Panama. |
In November 2007 he returned to the UK, telling police he was a missing person with amnesia. | In November 2007 he returned to the UK, telling police he was a missing person with amnesia. |
Darwin, 58, was jailed in July 2008 for six years for deception, while 57-year-old Anne Darwin was jailed for six-and-a-half-years for fraud and money-laundering. | Darwin, 58, was jailed in July 2008 for six years for deception, while 57-year-old Anne Darwin was jailed for six-and-a-half-years for fraud and money-laundering. |
The hearing at Leeds Crown Court was told that the Darwins realisable assets totalled £591,838.25. | The hearing at Leeds Crown Court was told that the Darwins realisable assets totalled £591,838.25. |
Prosecutor Jolyon Perks said the victims were insurance companies Aviva, formerly known as Norwich Union, and AIG, with claims also made on John Darwin's pension and a Department of Work and Pensions payout. | |
This totalled £363,700.01 and the Crown also sought an order under the Proceeds of Crime Act for a further £228,138.24. | This totalled £363,700.01 and the Crown also sought an order under the Proceeds of Crime Act for a further £228,138.24. |
Mr Perks asked for a year for the money to be repaid. | Mr Perks asked for a year for the money to be repaid. |
If either fails to repay they could face a three-year jail sentence. | If either fails to repay they could face a three-year jail sentence. |
Mrs Darwin appeared in court, but her husband was not present. | Mrs Darwin appeared in court, but her husband was not present. |