Darwin charged with decepiton

Back-from-the-dead canoeist John Darwin was charged tonight with making an untrue statement to procure a passport and obtaining a money transfer by deception in relation to a life insurance policy, police said.

Detective Sergeant Iain Henderson of Cleveland Police said Darwin will remain in police custody until Monday when an application will be made at Hartlepool Magistrates’ Court to remand him in custody.

“Inquiries are still on going and, as legal procedures are now active, we cannot give any further information,” Mr Henderson said.

He urged Darwin’s wife, Anne Darwin, to make contact with police at the earliest opportunity but said that at this stage police do not know when she intends to return to the UK.

Speaking outside Kirkleatham police station in Redcar, Mr Henderson said of Mr Darwin: ``He is fit and well at the moment.''

He said he could not say at the moment if there would be more charges.

When asked if he had any message for Mr Darwin’s wife, he replied: “We would ask Mrs Darwin if she is watching this to make contact with the police and to approach us at the earliest opportunity so we can speak to her.”

He said that if she does not make contact, police will be making inquiries to trace her, but it has not been decided if that would involve sending officers abroad.