**Iconic Churchill Photograph Thief Sentenced for Robbery**

**Jeffrey Wood, who admitted to theft and forgery, has been sentenced as the iconic photo reaches the public eye again after being recovered in Italy.**

A Canadian man has been handed a two-year prison sentence for the theft of the legendary photograph of Sir Winston Churchill, famously dubbed "The Roaring Lion." Jeffrey Wood pleaded guilty to stealing the valuable original print from the prestigious Château Laurier hotel in Ottawa between Christmas 2021 and early January 2022, as well as committing forgery.

The photograph, captured by renowned photographer Yousuf Karsh in 1941, is notable for its depiction of Churchill just after he addressed the Canadian Parliament and is also featured on the UK £5 note. Ottawa Police announced that the stolen image resurfaced last year in Genoa, Italy, in the hands of an unaware private buyer.

The hotel staff only realized the valuable piece had been replaced with a replica in August 2022. Wood confessed during proceedings that his motive for the theft was to gather funds for his brother, who was struggling with mental health issues.

During the sentencing, Justice Robert Wadden emphasized the national significance of the photograph, while also expressing concern over the breach of trust involved in stealing and trafficking such cultural property. Geneviève Dumas, general manager of the Château Laurier hotel, stated her satisfaction at the acknowledgment of Canadian history through this case.

Wood will serve his sentence as "two years less a day," meaning he will be placed in a provincial institution rather than a federal prison. His lawyer argued that the sentence was excessively severe, particularly since it was Wood's first offense.