A woman accused of sinking her ex-husband’s luxury boat by drilling holes in it
was yesterday arrested on suspicion of plotting to murder him.
Mandy Fleming, 45, was held by cops along with new boyfriend David Brown, 43.
They are alleged to have tried to hire a hitman to kill haulier Adam Fleming, 40.
The £90,000 boat was sunk at Brighton Marina, East Sussex. Mr Fleming is
currently trying to sue his ex-wife for £55,000 repairs to the vessel
after it was raised from the sea bed. The boat, named the Double Dragon, had a
king size bed, bar and state-of-the art hi-fi and TV systems.
It went down on Valentine’s Day 2004 after three holes were drilled below the
waterline and the portholes left open.
An informant told cops investigating the murder of private eye Danny Morgan that
he had been hired to kill Mr Fleming.
Mr Morgan, 37, was found with an axe embedded in his head in Sydenham, South
London. Cops are currently carrying out a fifth inquiry into the murder.
Mrs Fleming was arrested yesterday at her home in Sutton, Surrey, while Brown
was seized in his car nearby. They were later released on police bail.
Mr Fleming bought the 39ft cruiser after the couple married in Florida in 2002.
But his wife later told a newspaper the boat helped to end their marriage.
She said: “I told him we couldn’t afford it, but he said it was nothing to do
with me, and borrowed the money.”
“He told everyone it was a ‘love gift’ for me, but it effectively split us up.”
She denied being involved in the sinking, insisting. “I had nothing to do with it.”
She was charged with wilfully endangering life and criminal damage but the case
was dropped because of lack of evidence. The boat was later repaired and sold.
