Back-from-dead canoeist pair appeal

John Darwin, 57, from Hartlepool, is seeking to challenge his prison sentence of six years and three months, which was handed down by a judge at Teesside Crown Court last July.

His wife, Anne Darwin, 56, is making a renewed application for permission to appeal against her conviction at a hearing in London.

If that application is rejected by the Lord Chief Justice, Lord Judge, Mr Justice Irwin and Mr Justice Wyn Williams, they are expected to go on to hear her challenge against her prison sentence of six years and six months.

The pair were jailed over a swindle which deceived the police, a coroner, financial institutions and even their sons, Mark, 32, and Anthony, 29.

Mrs Darwin, a former doctor's receptionist, was convicted of six counts of fraud and nine of money laundering after a trial. Mr Darwin had admitted deception charges.

Her case was that her "domineering" husband forced her to go through with the plan to con insurance and pension companies by faking his death at sea.

The trial judge, Mr Justice Wilkie, told the Darwins their sons' lives were "crushed" by the deception - and that meant a severe sentence was needed.

The court heard the plan to hoax insurers and pension schemes into believing former teacher and prison officer Mr Darwin was dead was hatched as the couple faced losing their imposing seafront home in Seaton Carew, Hartlepool, in 2002.

They had a 12-home property portfolio and were struggling to make mortgage repayments when he paddled into the sea in his home-made canoe and then disappeared. He reappeared at a London police station in December 2007 claiming he had amnesia and thought he was a missing person.