Can the old get away with murder?

garinda · 29-01-2008, 00:55

Well not murder, but in this case fraud totalling £850,000.

The eighty four year old man was spared jail because of ill health, though he seemed sprightly enough to pop round to various art galleries and auction houses, to sell the 'works of art', claiming he had inherited what he was trying to sell.

Although there is an amusing side to this, a greedy art world, duped by things knocked up in a Bolton shed, there is a serious side too.

'The family managed to convince the council-owned Bolton Museum to part with £439,767 for the 20-inch piece said to be 3,300 years old and a figurine of the daughter of Pharaoh Akhenaten and Queen Nefertiti, the mother of King Tutankhamun.'

I wouldn't be too happy if my council bill had to cover that.

What do we think?

Do the crime, serve the time, or get off if you're a bit shaky on the old pins?

'Artful Codger' spared jail over counterfeit art | Special reports | Guardian Unlimited

Less · 29-01-2008, 01:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by garinda

Well not murder, but in this case fraud totalling £850,000.

Well yes, murder, General whatsit mis-ruled Argentina for a few years, the police missing persons bureaux over there is the largest employer of the country and they are all on overtime!

cashman · 29-01-2008, 01:13

think the cheating old git should have got bird, fraud is fraud an it wern't a tube of smarties it was serious fraud, if this is the case, i may try it on in a few yrs time, if things are a bit tight on me pension.

garinda · 29-01-2008, 01:21

Although the story is quite amusing, would an eighty four year old child molester, who was suffering ill health, also be spared the jail sentence a younger man would have to serve?

Mancie · 29-01-2008, 01:33

Same old story.. I recall the Head/Chairman of Guinness getting banged up for fraud only to be released a few months later for "health reasons".. you or I would have simply been turfed into the hospital wing of the prison.. and as for Pinocehet being let of for "health reasons".. the bloke almost danced on the airport runway!

garinda · 29-01-2008, 09:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mancie

Same old story.. I recall the Head/Chairman of Guinness getting banged up for fraud only to be released a few months later for "health reasons".. you or I would have simply been turfed into the hospital wing of the prison.. and as for Pinocehet being let of for "health reasons".. the bloke almost danced on the airport runway!

Agreed. Ronnie Biggs was still banged up on his recapture, even though his health was fading.

jaysay · 29-01-2008, 10:04

Another funny thing about this case is that Bolton Council want the fake sculpture back so they can put it on display, its seems waste not want not me thinks

panther · 29-01-2008, 11:53

whether hes 18 or 85, hes done the crime so he should have been banged up!!

Alvin the chipmunk · 29-01-2008, 12:59

Owd or young, a crime is still a crime and he should be banged up as he deserves to be. After all, they banged up Ronnie Biggs when he came back didn't they?

Acrylic-bob · 29-01-2008, 14:30

While deploring the crime, I think that the sentencing on this occaision was fair. So a bunch of snooty art queens had the wool pulled over their eyes and got their pride dented - big deal, and about time too!
One of the things that is being overlooked in all the hoo-hah is the extraordinary skill of the 84 year old's son, who actually manufactured the artefacts which left the galleries and art etablishment with egg on their po-faces. This chap has got to be something of a minor national treasure. When did Tracy Emmins create anything as beautiful as the Amarna Princess? I am not surprised that Bolton want to keep hold of it.

cashman · 29-01-2008, 14:37

dont matter who is de-frauded A-B, its still a serious crime, n as for the sons talent, theres probably been counterfeiters as skillful, should we make them national treasures also?

Acrylic-bob · 29-01-2008, 14:55

In an era when the level of craftsmanship is being eroded to the point of invisibility and craft skills are being lost for the want of teachers and people to take them on, then I think the answer has to be yes.

garinda · 29-01-2008, 16:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by Acrylic-bob

While deploring the crime, I think that the sentencing on this occaision was fair. So a bunch of snooty art queens had the wool pulled over their eyes and got their pride dented - big deal, and about time too!
One of the things that is being overlooked in all the hoo-hah is the extraordinary skill of the 84 year old's son, who actually manufactured the artefacts which left the galleries and art etablishment with egg on their po-faces. This chap has got to be something of a minor national treasure. When did Tracy Emmins create anything as beautiful as the Amarna Princess? I am not surprised that Bolton want to keep hold of it.

This story does have a comic side, but when should old age be an excuse for not giving someone a custodial sentence, that in this case would have been handed down to someone younger?

Like I posted earlier, should an octogenerian child molester be spared prison too?

Margaret Pilkington · 29-01-2008, 18:35

I admire the work that this old fella did....if it bamboozled some art experts into thinking it was real then it must have been a pretty fair job of work (and I'm sure people would pay to have replicas of such works of art).......I don't think age should be an excuse for not getting a jail term though.

Maybe the art experts at Bolton council should be sacked for not being up to the job.

jambutty · 29-01-2008, 18:48

Good luck to the old geezer. He showed up what a pretentious load of prats the so called art experts are.