Celebrity art dealer jailed

A COTSWOLD art dealer who stole nearly £500,000 worth of artworks, including paintings by the Rolling Stones’ Ronnie Wood, from clients, has been jailed for four years.

Among the items stolen by Jonathan Poole were pieces depicting celebrities including Princess Diana, model Kate Moss, the Stones’ Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Charlie Watts and Bill Wyman, and The Doors’ Jim Morrison.

Over three decades Poole, 69, made more than £435,000 by either selling artwork he was not entitled to or by taking percentages of the profits from legitimate sales.

Gloucester Crown Court heard the stolen artworks had various owners, including Dire Straits’ bass guitarist John Illsley, other British collectors and a German art dealer.

Judge Michael Cullum said Poole’s victims had placed a lot of trust in him.