A celebrity art dealer stole pieces worth almost £500,000 in a crime compared to a Hollywood blockbuster.

Jonathan Poole, 69, of Poulton, near Cirencester, admitted stealing paintings and selling artworks he was not entitled to.

His crimes were compared to the plot of The Thomas Crown Affair at Gloucester Crown Court, where he was jailed for four years.

The court heard he represented the art estates of John Lennon and Ronnie Wood.

The stolen items included paintings of Princess Diana, Kate Moss, Mick Jagger, Bob Dylan, Jim Morrison and Bono. Some pieces have never been traced.

The thefts were made over three decades, with the pieces stolen from British collectors, including Dire Straits’ bass guitarist John Illsley, and a German art dealer.

Poole, an acclaimed wildlife artist, owned two art galleries in the Cotswolds but they closed after he ran into financial difficulties. He also tried to take his own life, the court heard. Read more