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Canoeist 'lived at family home'

The wife of a man presumed drowned in a 2002 canoe accident has said he lived in part of the family home for three years after being declared dead.

Anne Darwin said her husband hid in a bedsit in a house they owned next door when family or friends visited to prevent them discovering the truth.

John Darwin, 57, vanished from the Hartlepool area in March 2002.

He walked into a police station last week claiming amnesia and is now being questioned on suspicion of fraud.

Cleveland Police have been granted an extra 36 hours to question him and may apply for a further extension if necessary.

Police also want to speak to Mrs Darwin, 55, who sold the family home in Seaton Carew and moved to Panama six weeks ago.

She is thought to be in Miami but expected to return to the UK this weekend.

My guess however is, the guy realised that to move off to panama he had to fly or boat there, and generally getting a passport when your dead is tough, and doing it illegally is even tougher. So thinking it would perhaps be possible to turn up with amensia he goes to the police with his story. However the idiot did forget something. The photo which showed he was alive and well with his wife just last year.
It's one of those cases where, the plan started out well, and stupidity kind of brought it to an end.