STORY: Iraqi authorities had arrested James Fitton, 66, at Baghdad International Airport in March for carrying small fragments of ancient pottery in his baggage.
An Iraqi court on Monday sentenced a British retiree to 15 years' prison for trying to smuggle antiquities out of the country, but acquitted his German co-accused.
An Iraqi court on Monday jailed a British retiree for 15 years for trying to smuggle antiquities he found on holiday, a judgement his family called "tantamount to a death sentence".His German co-defendant was acquitted.The maximum penalty for the offence is death by hanging but the court decided on a lesser sentence for James Fitton, 66, "because of the advanced age of the accused," the judge said.Fitton's lawyer said that he would appeal.
An Iraqi court on Monday sentenced a British retiree to 15 years’ prison for trying to smuggle antiquities out of the country, but acquitted his German co-accused.