Update: Mr Formhal's got 10 months in prison. He got off very lightly.

"Southampton Crown Court heard that Formhals, of Keyhaven Road, Milford-on-Sea, was in poor health and suffering from high blood pressure and arthritis.


Imposing the jail term, Judge Peter Henry said the fraud was widespread, planned and significant profit was made from it, but he took into account Formhals's bad health and reduced the sentence.

''It's always sad to see a person of 66 years of age convicted by a jury of a serious fraud particularly as you have no previous convictions,'' he said.

''It must be made perfectly clear that those who are tempted to indulge in this type of fraud, particularly over the internet, must understand the consequences.''

http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/crime ... 5.Antiques_forger_jailed/


An antiques dealer accused of selling books signed with fake signatures of famous figures on eBay has been found guilty of some of the charges he faced.


Allan Formhals, 66, of Milford on Sea in Hampshire, was found guilty of eight counts of fraud and two of possessing articles for the use in fraud but was cleared of two counts of fraud.

The jury at Southampton Crown Court are still deliberating on three counts.

The charges related to signatures from the likes of Churchill and Picasso.

Mr Formhals was too ill to appear at court earlier.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hampshire-20087821

The 66-year-old was found guilty of two charges of being in possession of articles for the use in fraud which included forged autographs of JRR Tolkien.

http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/10008 ... orging_famous_signatures/