Canoe conman stepson to be a pólice officer

John Darwin's wife proudly boasts as her lad graduates

- JEREMY ARMSTRONG

THE stepson of fraudster canoe man John Darwin is studying to be a police officer.

Darwin's second wife Mercy Avila posted images of her son leaving college, saying: "Graduation day! First step of criminology done." Mercy, 50, added: "My future (PNP) Philippine national police.

Please God guide him always." The market stall trader and mum of three married Darwin, 73, nine years ago following a whirlwind online romance.

She did not name her son in her posts, who looked happy and relaxed as he marked his big day.

FRAUD

His stepdad was behind one of the most infamous frauds in UK legal history after faking his own drowning in a canoe accident off the coast of Hartlepool, Co Durham, in March 2002.