A Canadian man, Jeffrey Wood, has been sentenced to nearly two years in jail for the theft of a famous photograph of Sir Winston Churchill, known as "The Roaring Lion." Wood pleaded guilty to stealing the original print from the Château Laurier hotel in Ottawa between Christmas 2021 and early January 2022, while also admitting to forgery related to the crime. The photograph, taken by renowned photographer Yousuf Karsh in 1941, features prominently on the UK £5 note.
The Ottawa Police reported that the stolen photograph was discovered last year in Genoa, Italy, in the hands of a private buyer, who was unaware of its stolen status. The image captures a stern-faced Churchill at the age of 67, shortly after addressing the Canadian parliament. It wasn't until August 2022 that hotel staff realized the original photo had been replaced by a counterfeit.
Wood indicated that he stole the photo in a desperate attempt to secure funds for his brother, who was suffering from mental health issues. During the sentencing, Justice Robert Wadden remarked on the importance of the photograph to Canadian heritage, emphasizing that its theft undermines public trust in the preservation of national treasures. Geneviève Dumas, the general manager of Château Laurier, expressed relief that Canadian history had been vindicated in this case.
Wood's sentence is “two years less a day,” which permits him to serve his time in a provincial facility rather than a federal prison. His attorney described the sentence as "unnecessarily harsh" given that Wood was a first-time offender.
