Mrs Darwin was brought back to Hartlepool after being arrested at Manchester Airport yesterday morning, and now faces questioning on suspicion of fraud.

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Meanwhile at Hartlepool Magistrates' Court, her husband John faces charges of deception – just yards away from where his wife was being quizzed.

Mrs Darwin arrived back in the UK at 9.25am on a Delta Airlines flight from Atlanta, Georgia, and officers from Greater Manchester Police boarded the plane to arrest the 55-year-old.

Anne Darwin was snapped by Mail photographers as the unmarked police car arrived at Hartlepool Police station via the Lauder Street entrance just before 2pm on Sunday.

Accompanied by a detective in the back of the vehicle, Mrs Darwin crouched down to try and avoid the camera.

Mrs Darwin left her home in The Cliff, Seaton Carew, six weeks ago after selling the property and moving to Panama.

At Hartlepool Magistrates' Court today, John Darwin, 57, was due to face charges of obtaining a money transfer by deception in relation to a life insurance policy, and making an untrue statement to procure a passport.

Detective Sergeant Iain Henderson, of Cleveland Police, confirmed on Saturday that charges had been brought against John Darwin.

Speaking outside Kirleatham police station in Redcar he said: "The Crown Prosecution Service have authorised Cleveland Police to charge John Ronald Darwin with offences of obtaining a money transfer by deception and making an untrue statement to procure a passport."

John was described as "being fit and well."

The detective added that there has been a "bizarre" media interest in the case.

He said: "We have had responses from members of the public in various parts of this country and across the world."

The charges against Darwin came a week after he walked into a police station in London saying that he thought he was a missing person.