The Panama photo that led to their downfall and how ITV recreated it for The Thief, His Wife and The Canoe
ok.co.ukJohn and Anne Darwin's 'fake death' scheme has been thrust back into the spotlight over recent weeks, with ITV's new series, The Thief, His Wife and The Canoe, focusing on the couple's story staring on Sunday 17 April.
John, 71, a former teacher and prison officer, disappeared in March 2002 after heading out in his canoe at Seaton Carew beach near Hartlepool.
Anne reported her husband missing, and a massive search and rescue operation was put into place. Eventually, the wreckage of his canoe was found, prompting John to be presumed dead.
A death certificate was issued, and Anne claimed £250,000 on John's life insurance policy, which she then spent on exotic holidays and clearing her and John's debts.The couple kept the lie up for five years, but it eventually got too much for John and he entered a London police station claiming he was suffering from amnesia, and had no memory of the previous five years.
Read more on ok.co.uk
