Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Stolen Art Watch,The Johnsons, Slow Motion Attempted Recovery !!!!

Johnson family back in court
http://www.oxfordtimes.co.uk/news/4801551.Johnson_family_back_in_court/

DETAILS of "extraordinarily rare" antiques stolen from stately homes by a notorious criminal family were revealed at a court hearing today.

The Johnson clan were jailed for up to 11 years each last year for their roles in stealing from stately homes in Oxfordshire, Wiltshire and Berkshire.

The Crown Prosecution Service is trying to recover millions of pounds the family gained in the year-long spree of burglaries.

A confiscation hearing at Reading Crown Court was told items stolen in the burglaries included “the finest barometer ever made” and “extraordinarily rare” clocks.

The gang, including Ricky Johnson, 55, his sons Richard and Albi and a nephew, plotted the high-value raids while based at a static caravan park in Evesham, Worcestershire.

Ricky Johnson was sentenced to eight years, while his son Richard "Chad" Johnson, 34, and nephew Daniel O'Loughlin, 33, were jailed for 11 years each.

Michael Nicholls, 30, the partner of Ricky Johnson's daughter Faye, was given 10 years, while the youngest gang member, 27-year-old Albi Johnson, was jailed for nine years.

All were found guilty of conspiracy to commit burglary between April 8, 2005 and October 13, 2006 following a month-long trial at Reading Crown Court.

The hearing was adjourned part-heard and will not resume until April 26.

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