Who is John Darwin's ex-wife Anne?
FORMER teacher and prison officer John Darwin faked his death in a canoeing accident in 2002 and claimed £700k in insurance.
John turned up alive in 2007 when it emerged ex-wife Anne helped the conman fake his death. Here's what you need to know about Anne Darwin.
Who is Anne Darwin?
Anne Darwin is the former wife of John Darwin, who faked his own death in a canoeing accident when he paddled out to sea off the coast of County Durham.
The former doctor's receptionist reported John missing when he failed to report for work.
The wreckage of John's kayak was found and he was was presumed dead by search and rescue teams.
After the staged disappearance, Anne helped her husband to live in secret in a bedsit next to the family house before moving back in with his wife in 2003.
The couple then moved to Panama in 2006 where John lived under the alias 'John Jones.' However, changes to Panama's visa laws meant that his identity had to be verified by UK police.
John knew his new identity would not pass this level of scrutiny, and so in 2007 he decided to walk into a London police station and claimed to have no memory of the previous 5 years.
Anne acted surprised when her husband reappeared, but was found guilty of fraud alongside John in 2008.
When did John and Anne Darwin get married?
John and Anne were 17 when they first started dating, and four years later they married after John popped the question.
The former couple have two sons together. Mark, the eldest, was born in 1975 and Anthony was born in 1978.
Anne let her sons believe their father had died, and the brothers issued a statement soon after John reappeared saying they no longer wished to have any contact with their parents.
How long did she spend in prison?
Anne, described by police as a compulsive liar, was sentenced to six-and-a-half years in prison for fraud in July 2008.
Anne appealed against her sentence but her case was turned down by the Court of Appeal in March 2009.
Anne was released from prison in March 2011, and the Crown Prosecution Service announced that £500k in life insurance and pension payouts received by Anne had been recovered.
Why did Anne and John Darwin divorce?
Throughout their time in prison, John made Anne believe that they would rekindle their marriage upon release from jail.
However, John desired to be with a younger partner and the two ended their marriage after 38 years together soon after they were freed.
Anne now lives in York and has reconciled with her sons Mark and Anthony.
John remarried in 2015 and has moved to the Philippines with his new wife, who is over 20 years his junior.
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