The pair from Hartlepool were convicted of fraud after John attempted to fake his own death in order to secure insurance money to pay off thousands of pounds of debt.<\/p>\n
Their plan fell apart when John attempted to hand himself in after failing to start a new life in Panama \u2013 his whole lie unravelled within days.<\/p>\n
But what happened after that? And where are Anne and John Darwin now? Read on for everything you need to know.<\/p>
Who are Anne and John Darwin?<\/strong><\/h2>\nAnne Darwin (n\u00e9e Stephenston) first met her future husband John Darwin in 1973 and the pair married two years later. The pair shared two sons \u2013 Mark and Anthony.<\/p>\n
Anne had a full time job as a doctor\u2019s receptionist while John was a prison officer at HM Prison Holme House, Stockton-on-Tees. The pair also had 12 bedsits across County Durham, but ran into a large amount of debt after buying two houses right next to each other in Seaton Carew, Hartlepool, in December 2000.<\/p>\n
Just two years later, John, who was on the verge of being declared bankrupt with debts of over \u00a3700,000<\/a>, decided to fake his own death to claim life insurance money. Anne went along with the harebrained scheme.<\/p>\nSpeaking to The Guardian<\/a> in 2016, Anne explained: \u201cJohn could also be persuasive. He told me, \u2018I\u2019ll only need to vanish for a couple of weeks and we\u2019ll have the money.\u2019 It got out of control.<\/p>\n\u201cThe deeper you get into these situations, the harder it is to get out. If I had any inkling it would have lasted more than few a weeks, there\u2019s no way I could have gone along with it and put myself through years of torture. But once it was done, and he got me to lie that he\u2019d disappeared, I couldn\u2019t get out of it.\u201d<\/p>\n
![\"""\"]( "\\"\"\"\\"\/")
<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div> Anne Darwin in 2007 (GETTY)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\nAnd so, on 21st March 2002, John left his Seaton Carew home armed with his canoe and paddled out into the North Sea. Later that day, he was reported as missing when he failed to turn up to his job at the prison.<\/p>\n
The following day, the paddle John had thrown out to sea was discovered and the wreckage of his destroyed kayak was found. As his body was never discovered, Anne was able to obtain a crucial death certificate which stated he was presumed dead \u2013 this was then used to claim his life insurance.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, John was living next door to Anne, in one of the rooms they rented out. He would pay Anne a visit by sneaking through old connecting doors between the terraced houses.<\/p>\n
The pair collected the insurance money and decided to start a new life together in Panama. John was able to apply for a new passport using the false name of \u201cJohn Jones\u201d.<\/p>\n
Anne and John flew to Panama on 14th July 2006 where they met with a Panamanian property agent who took a now infamous photograph of the pair \u2013 they were simply adding to their client roster, but it would turn out to be a photograph that would make the front pages of the British tabloid press.<\/p>\n
Speaking on This Morning in 2016, Anne said of the photo: \u201cI wished that had never been taken, but it was done in an instant \u2013 there was no forewarning that it was going to happen. I knew it would all come out eventually \u2013 going to Panama, it wasn\u2019t to escape [the truth], it was just another section of John\u2019s scheme.\u201d<\/p>\n
In May 2007, Anne and John purchased a \u00a3200,000 property in Panama, with the hope of running a centre of holiday activities, including canoeing \u2013 though their true intention has often been debated, with John telling Elizabeth Greenwood in her book Playing Dead<\/a> that they had never intended to set up a canoe business. Anne sold their Seaton Carew home in October 2007 and subsequently moved to start her new life in Panama with her husband.<\/p>\nHowever, their life in paradise wasn\u2019t meant to be, as a change in Panama\u2019s visa laws meant that those who wished to live and work in the country would have to have their identities confirmed by the UK police \u2013 a big problem for John who was legally missing and dead.<\/p>\n
![\"""\"]( "\\"\"\"\\"\/")
<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div> Tony Hutchinson of Cleveland Police holds the fake passport picture of John Darwin (Getty)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\nHe decided the game was over and enough time had passed that he could return to the UK under his real name and claim to have suffered from amnesia. On 1st December 2007, John went to the West End Central police station in London to hand himself in \u2013 much to Anne\u2019s relief, as she explained to This Morning: \u201cHe was convinced he would get away with this story of amnesia, I never expected him to get away with it. I was just relieved the lies would be over.\u201d<\/p>\n
The police were already suspicious of the pair, with UK investigators digging into the unusual circumstances of his death, and Anne\u2019s movements afterwards three months before he reappeared in London.<\/p>\n
Their world came crashing down when the Daily Mirror<\/a> published the now-infamous picture of the pair in Panama. John was arrested shortly after on a count of obtaining life insurance money by deception and making untrue statements and Anne followed suit the following day when she returned from Panama with a count of fraud.<\/p>\nAnne and John\u2019s two sons publicly denounced their parents, wishing to have no further contact with them. Anne said of their decision: \u201cAfter the truth came out that we\u2019d been living in Panama together, I continually wrote to Mark and Anthony to say, \u2018I am so sorry. I really do love you.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n
She added to The Guardian<\/a>: \u201cBut they refused to see or talk to me. The first time I set eyes on them [afterwards] was at my trial when Mark was the first to testify against me. After he left the witness box, he only lifted his eyes fleetingly to meet mine. I was totally shocked by how dark and full of anger they were. To see that was absolutely horrendous.\u201d<\/p>\nThe pair were both convicted of fraud on 23rd July 2008. John received six years and three months, while Anne was given six years and six months \u2013 both had their appeals rejected.\u00a0John was released in January 2011, and Anne two months later.<\/p>\n
![\"""\"]( "\\"\"\"\\"\/")
<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div> Anthony and Mark Darwin leave Teesside Crown Court (Getty)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\nWhere is Anne Darwin now?<\/strong><\/h2>\nFollowing her prison stint, Anne decided to separate from John. She spoke to The Guardian<\/a> about her life with him, and how she realised that some of his behaviour towards her was unacceptable \u2013 some might say coercive.<\/p>\n\u201cI hadn\u2019t realised how much John manipulated me until I was in prison. I had to see a psychologist to finally help me see things in a different light,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cUntil then I\u2019d always had his voice in my head. Finally, when it faded away, I could then make decisions for myself and I realised that I didn\u2019t have to depend on him. I could cope on my own.\u201d<\/p>\n
Anne last had communication with John while they were in prison, where she finally plucked up the courage to end things \u2013 John didn\u2019t take it well. When she left prison in 2011, John was reported to have sent Anne a photograph of herself which had a copyright brand on it, seemingly implying she was his property. The pair eventually divorced, with John citing \u201cunreasonable behaviour<\/a>\u201c.<\/p>\nShe found a job with the RSPCA using the qualifications she gained in prison and moved to a village outside of York, according to YorkshireLive<\/a>. Anne also wrote a book about her experiences, called Out of My Depth<\/a>, with proceeds going to the RNLI and the RSPCA.<\/p>\nSpeaking on This Morning in 2016, Anne said: \u201cI came through that [depression in prison] with help and I\u2019ve managed to turn my life around. I made the best of the opportunity that I could with all that was on offer in prison as far as education. I equipped myself with up-to-date qualifications so I could find a job and give myself the best chance to start a new life.\u201d<\/p>\n
Anne has since reconciled with her sons.<\/p>\n
Speaking to The Guardian<\/a> in 2016, Anne explained: \u201cJohn could also be persuasive. He told me, \u2018I\u2019ll only need to vanish for a couple of weeks and we\u2019ll have the money.\u2019 It got out of control.<\/p>\n \u201cThe deeper you get into these situations, the harder it is to get out. If I had any inkling it would have lasted more than few a weeks, there\u2019s no way I could have gone along with it and put myself through years of torture. But once it was done, and he got me to lie that he\u2019d disappeared, I couldn\u2019t get out of it.\u201d<\/p>\n And so, on 21st March 2002, John left his Seaton Carew home armed with his canoe and paddled out into the North Sea. Later that day, he was reported as missing when he failed to turn up to his job at the prison.<\/p>\n The following day, the paddle John had thrown out to sea was discovered and the wreckage of his destroyed kayak was found. As his body was never discovered, Anne was able to obtain a crucial death certificate which stated he was presumed dead \u2013 this was then used to claim his life insurance.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, John was living next door to Anne, in one of the rooms they rented out. He would pay Anne a visit by sneaking through old connecting doors between the terraced houses.<\/p>\n The pair collected the insurance money and decided to start a new life together in Panama. John was able to apply for a new passport using the false name of \u201cJohn Jones\u201d.<\/p>\n Anne and John flew to Panama on 14th July 2006 where they met with a Panamanian property agent who took a now infamous photograph of the pair \u2013 they were simply adding to their client roster, but it would turn out to be a photograph that would make the front pages of the British tabloid press.<\/p>\n Speaking on This Morning in 2016, Anne said of the photo: \u201cI wished that had never been taken, but it was done in an instant \u2013 there was no forewarning that it was going to happen. I knew it would all come out eventually \u2013 going to Panama, it wasn\u2019t to escape [the truth], it was just another section of John\u2019s scheme.\u201d<\/p>\n In May 2007, Anne and John purchased a \u00a3200,000 property in Panama, with the hope of running a centre of holiday activities, including canoeing \u2013 though their true intention has often been debated, with John telling Elizabeth Greenwood in her book Playing Dead<\/a> that they had never intended to set up a canoe business. Anne sold their Seaton Carew home in October 2007 and subsequently moved to start her new life in Panama with her husband.<\/p>\n However, their life in paradise wasn\u2019t meant to be, as a change in Panama\u2019s visa laws meant that those who wished to live and work in the country would have to have their identities confirmed by the UK police \u2013 a big problem for John who was legally missing and dead.<\/p>\n He decided the game was over and enough time had passed that he could return to the UK under his real name and claim to have suffered from amnesia. On 1st December 2007, John went to the West End Central police station in London to hand himself in \u2013 much to Anne\u2019s relief, as she explained to This Morning: \u201cHe was convinced he would get away with this story of amnesia, I never expected him to get away with it. I was just relieved the lies would be over.\u201d<\/p>\n The police were already suspicious of the pair, with UK investigators digging into the unusual circumstances of his death, and Anne\u2019s movements afterwards three months before he reappeared in London.<\/p>\n Their world came crashing down when the Daily Mirror<\/a> published the now-infamous picture of the pair in Panama. John was arrested shortly after on a count of obtaining life insurance money by deception and making untrue statements and Anne followed suit the following day when she returned from Panama with a count of fraud.<\/p>\n Anne and John\u2019s two sons publicly denounced their parents, wishing to have no further contact with them. Anne said of their decision: \u201cAfter the truth came out that we\u2019d been living in Panama together, I continually wrote to Mark and Anthony to say, \u2018I am so sorry. I really do love you.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n She added to The Guardian<\/a>: \u201cBut they refused to see or talk to me. The first time I set eyes on them [afterwards] was at my trial when Mark was the first to testify against me. After he left the witness box, he only lifted his eyes fleetingly to meet mine. I was totally shocked by how dark and full of anger they were. To see that was absolutely horrendous.\u201d<\/p>\n The pair were both convicted of fraud on 23rd July 2008. John received six years and three months, while Anne was given six years and six months \u2013 both had their appeals rejected.\u00a0John was released in January 2011, and Anne two months later.<\/p>\n Following her prison stint, Anne decided to separate from John. She spoke to The Guardian<\/a> about her life with him, and how she realised that some of his behaviour towards her was unacceptable \u2013 some might say coercive.<\/p>\n \u201cI hadn\u2019t realised how much John manipulated me until I was in prison. I had to see a psychologist to finally help me see things in a different light,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n \u201cUntil then I\u2019d always had his voice in my head. Finally, when it faded away, I could then make decisions for myself and I realised that I didn\u2019t have to depend on him. I could cope on my own.\u201d<\/p>\n Anne last had communication with John while they were in prison, where she finally plucked up the courage to end things \u2013 John didn\u2019t take it well. When she left prison in 2011, John was reported to have sent Anne a photograph of herself which had a copyright brand on it, seemingly implying she was his property. The pair eventually divorced, with John citing \u201cunreasonable behaviour<\/a>\u201c.<\/p>\n She found a job with the RSPCA using the qualifications she gained in prison and moved to a village outside of York, according to YorkshireLive<\/a>. Anne also wrote a book about her experiences, called Out of My Depth<\/a>, with proceeds going to the RNLI and the RSPCA.<\/p>\n Speaking on This Morning in 2016, Anne said: \u201cI came through that [depression in prison] with help and I\u2019ve managed to turn my life around. I made the best of the opportunity that I could with all that was on offer in prison as far as education. I equipped myself with up-to-date qualifications so I could find a job and give myself the best chance to start a new life.\u201d<\/p>\n Anne has since reconciled with her sons.<\/p>\n![\"""\"](\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/3\/2022\/04\/anne-darwin-0ff1a43.jpg?quality=90&crop=8px%2C37px%2C1864px%2C1242px&resize=620%2C413"\" "\\"\"\"\\"\/")
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<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>Where is Anne Darwin now?<\/strong><\/h2>\n