This week, ITV are repeating The Thief, His Wife and The Canoe, one of last year's most talked about dramas, as the scandal involving 'canoe man' John Darwin is propelled into the primetime spotlight and, after having millions hooked once again, it comes to an end on Wednesday night.
If you aren't familiar with the missing person scandal that caused a stir 21 years ago, you'd be forgiven for thinking the plot of The Thief, His Wife and The Canoe was something entirely fictional, but the fact is, as ludicrous as it sounds, it did happen and was very real for all involved. The story starts when John Darwin went out to sea in a kayak on March 21, 2002. After he then failed to turn up for work at Holme House Prison, the alarm was raised and a huge search operation launched.
The search spanned a huge stretch of coastline, but, with efforts coming to no avail, it was called off and John presumed dead. However, what no-one other than wife Anne knew was that John was absolutely fine and was in fact living in the property next door to the family home, after spending some time camping out in the wild,, as the couple conjured up a fraudulent scam to claim insurance, pensions and benefits.
READ MORE: Anne Darwin's life after John- bitter divorce and tell all book
He would stay holed up in the top flat and at night he would creep into the family home via a secret doorway hidden behind a wardrobe. John stayed hidden away on home turf for a number of years, even deceiving his own sons Anthony and Mark, before heading overseas after obtaining a fake passport.
The game was up for him and Anne when John walked into a London police station in 2007 and told officers he didn't know where he had been for the last five years. An investigation was launched but a photo then came to light of John and Anne posing in a property office in Panama, where they'd been living.
In 2008, John Darwin was jailed for six years and three months after admitting eight deception charges, wife Anne was sentenced to six-and-a-half years in jail for fraud and money-laundering. He was released on probation in January 2011, with Anne released two months after him.
Where is John Darwin now?
John and Anne separated part way through their respective prison stints, with her telling him she wanted to end their marriage, and were than divorced. John moved to the Philippines and now has a new wife, Mercy Mae, who he met online and is 23 years his junior.
Now 71, John, was recently spotted shopping close to his new home. A friend said: “John and Mercy are really happy together. He feels like he’s been given a second chance at life and he’s grabbing it with both hands.”
One associate of Mercy’s said: “I have always believed John to be a rich guy. He still seems in good health.”
Mercy is said to be angry that The Thief, His Wife and the Canoe was made for ITV without John's permission. It is not known whether he if he now speaks to his sons.
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