1 week ago
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A antheral who stole an iconic wartime representation of Sir Winston Churchill from a edifice has been jailed for astir 2 years, according to media reports successful Canada.
Police said the "Roaring Lion" representation - which appears connected the UK's £5 enactment - was stolen from the Fairmont Chateau Laurier edifice successful Ottawa successful Canada sometime betwixt Christmas Day 2021 and 6 January 2022.
It was replaced with a fake and the swap was lone uncovered successful August 2022 erstwhile a edifice idiosyncratic noticed the framework was not hung decently and looked antithetic from the others.
The representation had been sold done an auction location successful London to a backstage purchaser and ended up successful Rome, wherever 2 Canadian constabulary detectives retrieved it.
Both seller and purchaser were unaware that it had been stolen, constabulary said.
Jeffrey Wood, from Ontario, was aboriginal arrested and admitted stealing the portrait, committing forgery and trafficking spot obtained by transgression successful March, according to CBC News.
He was sentenced to "two years little a day" successful situation astatine Ottawa Courthouse connected Monday.
In Canada, a condemnation of little than 2 years is served successful a provincial jail, portion sentences of much than 2 years are served successful a national prison.
The justice reportedly told Wood helium was blameworthy of stealing a "cultural and historical" representation that was a "point of nationalist pride".
Justice Robert Wadden besides told the tribunal Wood said helium had committed the transgression to find wealth to assistance his brother, who was experiencing intelligence wellness struggles, CTV News reported.
The probe by constabulary successful Ottawa had reportedly spanned respective countries crossed 2 continents earlier Wood's arrest.
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'Roaring Lion' backmost successful its rightful place
The celebrated representation was captured by renowned Armenian-Canadian lensman Yousuf Karsh successful 1941 conscionable aft Sir Winston delivered a rousing wartime code to Canadian politicians.
Towards the extremity of his life, Mr Karsh signed and talented the representation to the hotel, wherever helium had lived and worked.
The representation was returned to the edifice successful November aft it surfaced successful Italy.
Genevieve Dumas, the hotel's wide manager, said erstwhile it was unveiled: "I tin archer you that it is armed, locked, secured.
"It's not moving," she said, adding that unit accidentally triggered the alarm portion they hung it up.
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