Canoeist appeals against sentence

Back-from-the dead canoeist John Darwin is to appeal against his prison sentence for fraud.

Darwin was jailed for six years and three months after admitting faking his death in a canoeing accident and fraudulently claiming £250,000.

His lawyer said the 58-year-old was appealing against the sentence.

Darwin's wife, Anne, has already lodged an appeal against her six-and-a-half year sentence for fraud and money laundering.

John Darwin vanished while canoeing in the sea off Seaton Carew, near Hartlepool, in 2002.

New life

He reappeared at a London police station in December last year claiming he had lost his memory.

But he and his wife were later convicted of the fraud, in which they tricked sons Mark and Anthony, friends, police and insurance companies into believing Mr Darwin had drowned.

The pair had hoped to start a new life in Panama after getting into debt.

Darwin's solicitor, John Nixon, said he had made an application to the Court of Appeal for the right to challenge the sentence.

Mr Nixon said: "An application will go before a single judge who will either grant leave to appeal or if that is refused, Mr Darwin will likely ask the full Court of Appeal for the right to be heard.

"It will happen on a date to be listed."

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