Detectorist was paid £5,000 by council for ‘historic artefact’ he bought online
A man who claimed to have found a hugely significant Roman brooch while metal detecting has been sentenced after admitting he had actually bought the item on eBay.
The supposed find in a village field in 2019, of what has become known as the Leasingham horse brooch, led to a change in the historic understanding of Roman brooches in Britain.
It also pocketed 54-year-old Jason Price £5,000 so it could be displayed in Lincoln Museum through the Portable Antiquities Scheme.
Jason of Purcell Close, Grantham, pleaded guilty to four counts of fraud when he appeared at Lincoln Crown Court yesterday and was given a 12-month custodial sentence suspended for two years. He was ordered to pay £3,250 in compensation and an additional £1,000 in costs and must complete 150 hours of unpaid work.
The four counts all related to items that he submitted to Lincolnshire County Council under the scheme claiming they were artefacts he found whilst out metal detecting between 2019 and 2023.
Under the Portable Antiquities Scheme anyone who finds what they believe to be an historical artefact can submit the item to Lincolnshire County Council. The submissions are assessed and can be classed as national treasure or an artefact of historical importance.
The false submission relating to the brooch fooled initial independent specialist studies, which dated the object to the Roman period, circa. AD 43-410 and its discovery generated national interest.
The brooch was acquired by Lincoln Museum in 2022, thanks to a donation from the Friends of Lincoln Museums and Art Gallery. It went on to become one of the most talked-about pieces in the collection.
However, staff became concerned about further artefacts brought forward by Price for identification, instigating a re-examination of the brooch and later raised the alarm with Lincolnshire Police.
The finds Price claimed to have come from a site at Long Bennington, an area known for its Roman history, included a coin hoard. Bronze axe, gold ring, pottery, copper alloy statues and figurines.
Many of the these were dismissed as being modern finds with faux patina paint applied to make them look older and the subsequent investigation exposed the item as a fake, with Price later admitting to purchasing the horse brooch online.
Will Mason, head of culture at Lincolnshire County Council, said: “It's incredibly sad and disappointing that anyone would choose to exploit Lincolnshire’s rich heritage in this way.
“Thankfully, incidents like this remain rare due to the rigorous examinations carried out on objects before they are added to a museum's collection.
“In this instance, not only did Mr Price knowingly deceive the independent specialists who initially authenticated this object and others like it that he submitted to the council as treasures, he also deceived the thousands of visitors who were understandably fascinated by the Leasingham horse brooch following its discovery.
“I’d like to thank the teams - and Lincolnshire Police - for their diligent work in pursuit of the truth and for exposing this crime.
“We understand that, immediately before his initial court date last year Mr Price made a donation to the Friends of Lincoln Museums and Art Gallery, who had initially provided the generous funding to purchase the brooch.”
Sentencing, Recorder Nicholas Bacon KC told Price that he considered the fraud a very serious matter and that Mr Price had abused a position of trust and responsibility, adding that there was sophisticated nature to his offending, which took place over a sustained period of time.
