Latest news with #LaytonDavies
BBC News
22-05-2025
- BBC News
Missing Herefordshire Viking treasure coin unearthed in Croydon
A coin missing from a stolen Viking hoard has been discovered for sale in Croydon, London. George Powell and Layton Davies, from Wales, dug up more than 300 silver coins and gold jewellery in a Herefordshire field in 2015. If the metal detectorists had declared the hoard, they could have been millionaires, but instead they sold it for profit and were sent to years since the treasure was discovered, more than 230 coins are still missing and police investigations are ongoing. In 2019, Powell and Davies, from Pontypridd, were convicted of stealing the hoard of gold jewels and silver coins and hiding the find. As he sent them to jail, Judge Nicholas Cartright told the jury at Worcester Crown Court that they had "stolen from the nation".Photos taken by the pair showed more than 300 coins in a freshly dug hole but only 72 of them have been believe they are in the hands of organised crime gangs across the world and now one has been found on sale in London. "We have been notified by colleagues at the Metropolitan Police that a coin, believed to be part of the Herefordshire Hoard, has surfaced for sale in Croydon," said Det Insp Ben Pearson, from West Mercia Police."Enquiries are ongoing to establish how this coin came to be in London. "Some of the hoard remains unaccounted for and we remain open-minded as to its whereabouts. "We will continue to investigate any items that come to light and may be linked." Experts believed the coins were Anglo-Saxon and to have been hidden by hoard also included a Ninth Century gold ring, a crystal rock pendant, a dragon's head bracelet and an ingot. The hoard will soon take pride of place in the Hereford Museum and Art Gallery which is having a £22m restoration. After £776,250 was raised to bring them back to the county, they are set to go on public display in a purpose-built exhibition space. "We would love to have the missing pieces of this extraordinary hoard returned to their rightful place in Herefordshire," said Damian Etheraads, from Hereford Museum.
Yahoo
27-01-2025
- Yahoo
Warrant issued for Viking hoard thief
A warrant has been issued for the arrest of a man found guilty of stealing a Viking hoard of gold worth £3 million. Metal detectorist George Powell, from Newport, failed to appear at Birmingham Magistrates Court on 8 January. He was due to have been sentenced for failing to repay £600,000, the money a judge had earlier decided was his share of the missing coins and jewellery. His fellow detectorist, Layton Davies, from Pontypridd, is serving an extra five years and three months in prison for failing to pay his share. In 2015, George Powell and Layton Davies uncovered 300 coins and gold jewellery in a field in Eye, near Leominster, Herefordshire. Instead of declaring the treasure, as required by law, they sold the valuables to dealers. In 2019, they were both found guilty of theft, conspiring to conceal criminal property, and converting criminal property by selling it. George Powell was sentenced to 10 years in prison, later reduced to six and a half years on appeal. Layton Davies was sentenced to eight and a half years in prison, later reduced to five years on appeal. At the time of the trial, just 31 of the estimated 300 coins that they found had been recovered. Experts believed the coins were Anglo-Saxon and to have been hidden by a Viking. One of them was a double-headed coin, showing two rulers of England. Alfred the Great, who ruled Wessex, and Ceolwulf II of Mercia. Historians said this showed there was an alliance previously not thought to exist between the kings, changing what we know about the unification of England. The hoard also included a 9th-century gold ring, a crystal rock pendant, a dragon's head bracelet and an ingot. At the trial, the judge told the men they were guilty of stealing the nation's history. In 2022, both George Powell and Layton Davies appeared at Worcester Crown Court. Judge Nicholas Cartwright told the men he believed about 270 coins were still being deliberately hidden by them. They were given a confiscation order and each told to repay £600,000 or go back to jail. George Powell appealed against that order, but his attempts to stay out of prison were rejected twice by an appeal judge and also the Court of Appeal in London. He was due to be sentenced at Birmingham Magistrates Court in January, but he failed to appear, so a warrant was issued for his arrest. Hereford Museum raised £776,250 to buy the jewellery, the ingot, and 29 coins from the owner of the field where they were found. The Museum and Art Gallery is undergoing a £22 million refurbishment and is due to reopen with a purpose-built space where the coins and jewellery will be on permanent display. In May 2023, two further men, Craig Best, from County Durham, and Roger Pilling, from Lancashire, were each jailed for five years and two months after trying to sell 44 rare Anglo-Saxon coins worth £766,000. The coins were thought to be part of the hoard uncovered in Herefordshire by George Powell and Layton Davies. The rest of the hoard is still missing. Hunt continues for missing Viking hoard artefacts Judge rejects Viking hoard thief's appeal bid Viking hoard thieves must pay £600k each Detectorists jailed for stealing £3m Viking hoard Men jailed for £766k Anglo-Saxon coin sale plot
BBC News
27-01-2025
- BBC News
Warrant issued for the arrest of Viking hoard thief
A warrant has been issued for the arrest of a man found guilty of stealing a Viking hoard of gold worth £3 million. Metal detectorist George Powell, from Newport, failed to appear at Birmingham Magistrates Court on 8 January. He was due to have been sentenced for failing to repay £600,000, the money a judge had earlier decided was his share of the missing coins and jewellery. His fellow detectorist, Layton Davies, from Pontypridd, is serving an extra five years and three months in prison for failing to pay his share. In 2015, George Powell and Layton Davies uncovered 300 coins and gold jewellery in a field in Eye, near Leominster, of declaring the treasure, as required by law, they sold the valuables to 2019, they were both found guilty of theft, conspiring to conceal criminal property, and converting criminal property by selling Powell was sentenced to 10 years in prison, later reduced to six and a half years on Davies was sentenced to eight and a half years in prison, later reduced to five years on the time of the trial, just 31 of the estimated 300 coins that they found had been recovered. Experts believed the coins were Anglo-Saxon and to have been hidden by a Viking. One of them was a double-headed coin, showing two rulers of England. Alfred the Great, who ruled Wessex, and Ceolwulf II of Mercia. Historians said this showed there was an alliance previously not thought to exist between the kings, changing what we know about the unification of hoard also included a 9th-century gold ring, a crystal rock pendant, a dragon's head bracelet and an the trial, the judge told the men they were guilty of stealing the nation's history. In 2022, both George Powell and Layton Davies appeared at Worcester Crown Nicholas Cartwright told the men he believed about 270 coins were still being deliberately hidden by were given a confiscation order and each told to repay £600,000 or go back to jail. George Powell appealed against that order, but his attempts to stay out of prison were rejected twice by an appeal judge and also the Court of Appeal in was due to be sentenced at Birmingham Magistrates Court in January, but he failed to appear, so a warrant was issued for his arrest. Hereford Museum raised £776,250 to buy the jewellery, the ingot, and 29 coins from the owner of the field where they were found. The Museum and Art Gallery is undergoing a £22 million refurbishment and is due to reopen with a purpose-built space where the coins and jewellery will be on permanent display. In May 2023, two further men, Craig Best, from County Durham, and Roger Pilling, from Lancashire, were each jailed for five years and two months after trying to sell 44 rare Anglo-Saxon coins worth £766, coins were thought to be part of the hoard uncovered in Herefordshire by George Powell and Layton Davies. The rest of the hoard is still missing.
