Art Dealer Gets 2 Years

Art dealer Robin Symes was jailed for two years for contempt of court. He disregarded court orders obtained against him in a bitterly fought legal action by the family of his late business partner. Rejecting psychiatric evidence that Symes was mentally confused and did not know what was going on, the judge said he had committed "deliberately orchestrated frauds" against the claimants. Symes has been locked in a four year legal battle with the Greek family of his deceased partner, Christo Michailidis, over the multi-million pound art assets of their business - originally claiming that Michailidis was not a business partner. Two years ago, he got a 12 month suspended sentence for lying about the true value of a statue which he claimed to have sold for three million less than its true value. Symes, whose London gallery was off Jermyn Street, lived with Michailidis for 30 years in a relationship which he claims was not sexual. His partner died after slipping on steps and banging his head while staying in Italy. For the full story - click the title Irish Art