Sebastiano Magnanini death: Three men plead guilty over death of convicted art thief found in canal

Found dead in canal: Sebastiano Magnanini
Metropolitan Police
5 January 2016
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Three men have pleaded guilty to offences relating to the death of a convicted art thief found tied to a shopping trolley in a canal.

The body of 46-year-old carpenter and convicted thief Sebastiano Magnanini, originally from Italy, was discovered in the Regent’s Canal on September 24.

It was pulled from the water after being spotted by a member of the public close to the entrance of Islington Tunnel.

On Tuesday, Paul Williams, 61, of no fixed abode, and Michael Walsh, 41, of Wharfdale Road, Islington, pleaded guilty to preventing the lawful burial of his body.

Walsh and a third man, Daniel Hastie, 22, of no fixed abode, also pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit fraud by false representation.

The men will be sentenced on February 5 at Blackfriars Crown Court.

A post-mortem examination on September 25 proved inconclusive and the cause of his death remains unclear.

Scotland Yard said enquiries were still under way into the circumstances of his death.

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