Friday, May 1, 2026
ADVT 
National

Supreme Court of Canada to hear Churchill portrait thief's sentence appeal

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 30 Apr, 2026 09:11 AM
  • Supreme Court of Canada to hear Churchill portrait thief's sentence appeal

The man who stole the "Roaring Lion" portrait of Winston Churchill from the Château Laurier in Ottawa will have a chance to appeal his sentence in the Supreme Court of Canada.

The famous image was snapped by photographer Yousuf Karsh during Churchill's wartime visit to the Canadian Parliament in December 1941.

Jeffrey Wood stole the portrait in January 2022, replaced it with a cheap copy and sold the original through a London auction house.

The print was returned to public display at the Ottawa hotel with help from authorities in the United Kingdom and Italy.

Wood was sentenced in May 2025 to two years less a day in jail after pleading guilty to the theft.

The Ontario Court of Appeal dismissed his sentence appeal in a two-to-one ruling.

Picture Courtesy: THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld

MORE National ARTICLES

Details of federal spending review to be released in 'coming days'

Details of federal spending review to be released in 'coming days'
Canadians are expected to learn soon which programs will be affected by the federal government's cost-cutting review.

Details of federal spending review to be released in 'coming days'

Canada not a target for Trump administration's new tariff investigations

Canada not a target for Trump administration's new tariff investigations
The Trump administration launched trade investigations of multiple countries Wednesday in an attempt to solidify the president's tariff policies after the Supreme Court struck down his previous efforts to realign global trade.

Canada not a target for Trump administration's new tariff investigations

Darpan 10 with Brenda Bailey, Minister of Finance, British Columbia

Darpan 10 with Brenda Bailey, Minister of Finance, British Columbia
Global uncertainty is slowing growth everywhere. High costs, global instability, and volatile commodity prices are putting pressure on public finances. To protect public services people rely on, we are increasing the rate of the first income tax bracket by less than 0.6 percentage points —5.06% to 5.60%.

Darpan 10 with Brenda Bailey, Minister of Finance, British Columbia

B.C. killings due to 'botched robbery,' defence lawyer says, as murder trial closes

B.C. killings due to 'botched robbery,' defence lawyer says, as murder trial closes
A weeks-long trial of three men accused of murdering an Abbotsford, B.C., couple came to a close in B.C. Supreme Court on Tuesday, with defence lawyers painting a picture of a robbery gone wrong leading to the killings, rather than a premeditated case of first-degree murder. 

B.C. killings due to 'botched robbery,' defence lawyer says, as murder trial closes

Conservatives seek to remove barriers to alcohol shipments across provincial borders

Conservatives seek to remove barriers to alcohol shipments across provincial borders
The federal Conservatives are pushing to allow Canada Post to ship alcohol between provinces, saying the Liberals have failed to live up to their pledge to remove interprovincial trade barriers.

Conservatives seek to remove barriers to alcohol shipments across provincial borders

Vancouver moves closer to no-snow winter despite chilly blast

Vancouver moves closer to no-snow winter despite chilly blast
Vancouver has moved closer to an official snowless winter after a chilly blast failed to result in the benchmark one centimetre of accumulation at the city's airport.

Vancouver moves closer to no-snow winter despite chilly blast