'Missing' canoeist held on suspicion of fraud

The back-from-the-dead canoeist who reappeared five-years after vanishing, was arrested on suspicion of fraud, police in England said today.

John Darwin, 57, who was held at his son’s home in Basingstoke, Hampshire, was kept in custody overnight and will be returned to the Cleveland Police area for questioning later today.

When he turned up at a central London police station on Saturday, he was suntanned, fit and well but told officers he had no recollection of the missing five years of his life.

Police have now set up a freephone line and an email address to collect information from the public about his whereabouts since March 2002.

Detective Superintendent Tony Hutchinson told a news conference at Cleveland Police Headquarters in Middlesbrough: “Following a request from Cleveland Police late last night, John Darwin was arrested on suspicion of fraud by officers of Hampshire constabulary.

“He was held in custody overnight and, as we speak, arrangements are being made to bring him to Cleveland later today.

“As you know Mr Darwin walked into West End Central police station in London four days ago and declared that police may be looking for him.

“He was in apparent good health, tanned, well nourished and dressed and, at that time, said he had no recollection of where he had been for the past five years.

“He has since met with some members of his family and has apparently told them he has no recollection of what has happened to him or where he has been since June 2000, which is almost two years before his disappearance from his home in Seaton Carew.”

The detective said Mr Darwin’s wife reported he was missing at 10.30pm on March 21, 2002.

His kayak was not at their seven-bedroom seafront home and it was feared he had suffered an accident in the sea.

The prison officer, an ex-teacher, was well known for his hobby of sea canoeing.

On the day he disappeared the sea was calm.

A major air and sea search was launched, lasting several days but no body was ever found.

A paddle was found within 24 hours 100 metres out to sea, but it was only weeks later that the remains of a red kayak were found washed up near the entrance of the River Tees.

An in-depth police investigation was launched by Detective Inspector Bob Bussey who has since retired, and who is being kept informed of developments.

Mr Hutchinson said: “There were no reported sightings of Mr Darwin.

“His wife, who at the time worked at a doctor’s surgery in County Durham, told us she had received no contact whatsoever from him.”

She issued a statement in September that year expressing her sadness at having no grave to visit to mourn for her husband.

An inquest was held in Hartlepool 13 months after the disappearance and the coroner, Malcolm Donnelly, declare the canoeist dead and recorded an open verdict.

Mr Hutchinson said: “No doubt he was as surprised as everyone else at the events of recent days.”

The detective said Mrs Darwin recently sold the family’s four-storey home and moved to Panama city.

He said she knew of her husband’s reappearance, but officers had yet to speak to her.

“Obviously Mr Darwin’s reappearance has raised a lot of questions and created worldwide interest,” he said.

“Without doubt it is an unusual case.

“There will be people out there who will know exactly where he has been, where he has been living and what he has been doing.

“We want to hear from them.

“It may well be he has been living abroad, he may well have been known by another name.”

To contact police with information a freephone number has been set up on 0800 056 0944 for calls within the UK, and international calls can be made on 020 715 800 10.

The force has also set up an email address for information at darwininfoatcleveland.pnn.police.uk