A funeral director from Grantham has received a 12-month suspended prison sentence for misleading the public with a counterfeit Roman brooch. Jason Price, aged 54, professed to have discovered an ancient horse figurine, dated back to 1,800 years, near Leasingham in Lincolnshire. Contrarily, Price had acquired the brooch on eBay and falsely portrayed it as an archaeological discovery, thereby securing £5,000 to have it displayed at The Collection Museum in Lincoln. Price’s deception was brought to light after subsequent items he submitted ignited doubt, and Historic England’s examinations validated that the brooch was not of Roman origin. Price conceded to four fraud by false representation charges at Lincoln Crown Court. Further to his suspended sentence, he was directed to undertake unpaid work and repay compensation. Will Mason, Lincolnshire County Council’s Head of Culture, voiced his regret over the misuse of the region’s heritage.
The Lincoln Post adapted this story from the original reporting conducted by www.bbc.com.
